


Perilune

by ElliVivre



Category: Original Story
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Bonding, Comfort, Coping, Cuddling, Depression, Dragon shifter, Drama, Dreams, Dungeon, Enchantment, F/F, Falling In Love, Fantasy, Feelings, Feels, Female Characters, Female Protagonist, Female Relationships, Flashbacks, Forgiveness, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Getting Together, Growth, Hatred, Healing, Human/Dragon, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Introspection, Isolation, LGBT, LGBT Romance, LGBTQ, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Lesbian, Loss, Love, Magic, Monster Romance, Moon, Moon Goddess - Freeform, Moon Spirit - Freeform, Mutual Pining, Mythical Beings, Nightmares, Pain, Panic, Pining, Prison, Recovery, Redemption, Reformation, Romance, Self Esteem, Self Loathing, Shapeshifting, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Snuggling, Solitude, Soulmates, Strong Female Characters, Tension, Tragedy, Trauma, Troubled Past, WLW Romance, castle - Freeform, curse, dragon - Freeform, fairytale, kingdom - Freeform, lesbian monster romance, lgbt fantasy, lgbtq monster romance, mythical creatures, self love, unlikely lovers, wlw, wlw fantasy, woman/woman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2019-12-25 13:34:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 84,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18262343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElliVivre/pseuds/ElliVivre
Summary: When a celestial body forms, its soul manifests as a dragon, and seeks out the nearest inhabited planet to hunt upon.  The moon dragon's power is cataclysmic on Earth, as she draws her strength from the gravitational force which creates the ocean’s tides.Thousands of years ago, a violent king cursed a fragment of the moon; anyone who held it had the dragon’s perfect obedience. The king used her as a weapon, destroying countless lives in his conquests.After the king’s death, his heir decided such a weapon was inhumane for war, but too valuable to relinquish; The dragon was commanded to remain in her prison beneath the kingdom forever.Enraged, she began to kill any human who entered her cell.  Rather than command her to stop, the royal family found her to be an efficient executioner, and an effective threat to dissenters.When Lyra is sent into the dragon’s cell, fear conflicts with empathy, as both have suffered at the same hands.





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 

Ever since Lyra was sentenced to the position, her heart would not steady.  She dreaded the passing of every second as if it were the lash of a whip, the culmination of each tiny cut intended to bleed her dry.  She was woken early in the morning, as if the guards were determined to remove her from the cell with windows before the last sunrise she would have seen.  They brought her to a wing of the castle which was hidden deep in the ground beneath the servant quarters; the only thing here was a stark hall with three doors. 

 

The nearest door led to a room that was once a kitchen, but was now simply a chilled place to store animal carcasses.  A large door at the end of the hall lead to a massive cell, and a small door directly next to it led to a human-sized cell.  Built into the larger cell to preserve space, a stone cube with walls only six inches thick would be the barrier between her and the other prisoner when she was off-duty. 

 

Deep beneath the kingdom, a dragon of legendary might was humanity's captive.  It once roamed free, ignoring the affairs of humans beside devouring anyone foolish enough to lust after the treasure it hoarded.  Scattered incidents of armies sent to avenge the fallen or collect its treasure being slain in minutes were remembered with enough visceral horror for humanity to leave it cautiously unprovoked since the dawn of history.

 

Thousands of years ago, a king lusted for power beyond human capability.  He had a precious stone stolen from the dragon's hoard, and cast an enchantment upon it; anyone who held the stone had the dragon's perfect obedience.  They only needed to possess it as they spoke; the dragon would then be forced to obey their orders until they were either finished, revoked, or the person who uttered them died. 

 

Lyra walked slowly around the meat locker, the echoes of her footsteps pounding across the stone as if to form the syllables of the last words no audience would hear.  She grabbed a pair of gloves off a massive wooden cart left near the door; the enchantment upon them allowed her to lift six deer carcasses as if they were weightless.  She placed them onto the cart with a grotesque slap of flesh about to rot.  The smell was approaching rancid.  The contents of this locker were livestock slaughtered in excess and game from the leisurely hunts of nobility, once the time had passed for it to be worthy of human consumption. 

 

The dragon was used by the king to conquer other lands.  It had jaws that could crush stone and claws that could slice through the strongest armor. It was venomous as well; even the slightest scratch would rapidly spread complete paralysis throughout the body, and the victim would soon fall unconscious, defenseless as the dragon consumed them.  Its flames melted the earth they danced upon as it vaporized all the king's eyes fell upon.

 

For years it tortured enemies, decimated armies, leveled cities, and disposed of the bodies, leaving only ash in its wake.  While the king commanded it, it was the terror of all the surrounding lands. It was the nightmare that tore all of humanity from their slumber, only to face a harsher reality.

 

Lyra paused, staring for a blank moment at her hand.  No matter how she tried to keep it still, it trembled.  She fumbled with the handle of the cart despite the ease with which it should be gripped.  She dropped it.  When she crouched down and made several attempts to pluck it off the floor with hands she could hardly guide, her knees locked.  Her body was panicking; it didn't want her to move from the spot. 

 

In the peace that began with the king's last breath, such a catastrophic weapon was not necessary.  Such atrocities could never be repeated.  The dragon also could not be released; the king had committed an act of hubris in forcing a dragon to heed his commands.

 

Dragons were ferociously prideful beasts; to have no choice but to obey the commands of a human was an insult that would never be forgiven.  Should the dragon ever be free, it would take vengeance upon humanity for the indignities it had suffered.  All would end in ash and flame in the wake of the monster the dead king had provoked. 

 

Lyra took a sharp breath and forced her legs to stand, gripping the handle of the cart with white knuckles.  The burden upon the cart was far more than one could usually pull alone, but the cart carried a similar enchantment to the gloves.  The enchantment kept the cart at a consistent weight regardless of what it carried, to ensure it was light enough for prisoners of any build to pull with ease; nobody would be spared to help this inmate with her perilous task.  The guards had all but fled back up the stairs once they had finished escorting her here.

 

Killing the dragon was an option considered, and promptly deemed out of the question; such power as command over a dragon could not be thrown away because it was abused once.  There could come a time that power was required to defend the kingdom.  It would be wise, the council decided, to keep the dragon alive. 

 

The dragon was simply ordered not to leave the prison the king had built for it beneath the castle, and the stone was locked somewhere secret, retrieved only to keep the dragon contained.  Every time a new king or queen was coronated, they and three trusted members of their court would pass the stone amongst themselves, reciting the command.  The redundancy was to ensure a moment never passed in which no living person had ordered the dragon to remain imprisoned. 

 

The war machine which once held the continent in its claws silently crept beneath the kingdom, trapped only by words.  Every human lived and died in a stalemate with the beast, which desired only to crawl from the earth to punish them for the sins of their ancestors.

 

Most citizens never had to worry of the dragon in reality, and there were some who even claimed the presence of the dragon to be a hoax.  Lyra wasn't so lucky.  She bit her lip to hold back tears.  She wanted dignity at least.  She wasn't going to die blubbering.

 

The dragon needed to be fed if it was to be kept alive.  This required someone to enter its cell three times a day.  The dragon's temper was volatile, and it loathed humans for its imprisonment.  It often ate the poor soul tasked with feeding it, even when enough meat was supplied that it didn't finish the meal it was brought; it did so simply out of spite. 

 

 

Lyra slowly pushed the door to the meat locker open and pulled the cart into the dim corridor, the flicker of the fire causing her shadow to shiver.  She glanced around through glossy eyes, wishing they would fall upon anything worth taking in.  The hall was empty, a simple rectangle of grey stone with minimalistic rectangular doors, and torches affixed to the wall with a single loop of metal.  It was designed as if to be bleak as possible.

 

The task of feeding the dragon quickly replaced the death sentence.  The dragon became an executioner, the length of each prisoner's stay on death row decided by how quickly it tore through those ahead of them.  While the official language referred to the prisoner as the dragon's servant, the dragon was mockingly referred to by the guards as the kingdom's incinerator, eliminating their refuse.

 

 

Lyra's footsteps continued to echo along the halls, the sound dancing to the discordant rhythm of her floundering pulse.  It took every ounce of willpower she had to trudge forward.  If flesh could overpower soul, she would flee.

 

The dragon's servant was killed and replaced roughly once a day, typically at the last meal of the day.  It seemed to enjoy taunting them and letting them flee a few times to draw out the process.  Sometimes a servant would survive two days, depending entirely on the dragon's mood; the servant was killed and replaced three times a day when it was in a particularly foul one.  The longest a servant had ever lasted before was three days; he would open the door, push the cart inside without stepping in, and shut the door before fleeing.  He was believed to be clever for a moment there. 

 

The dragon seemed to resent this attempt at a loophole, as on the third day it waited by the door, and snatched him with its tail through the doorway.  It made a show of crushing him before reaching its tail through the doorway again to snatch a guard sent to confirm the prisoner's death. It devoured them, and spat their armor at the feet of their fellow guard as they fled.  By the survivor's account, it was certain she was only spared to share the horror with the other humans.  After that, arrangements were made so the servant could conduct their business without aid or observation.

 

Lyra wasn't sure if she hated the cacophony of her ears ringing and her footsteps rattling across the stone more than she would hate the silence of its absence.  Her body felt like it would crumble from the solitude. The only part of her mind capable of escaping dread at the moment thought only of how badly she could use even the slightest bit of reassurance from any company at this moment.  She even wished a rat would scurry down the corridor, just to see another living thing.  Rats were far too clever to stray here, however.

 

Guards retrieved the condemned from their cell, took them to this corridor, pointed them to the meat locker, and left.  A spell was cast on the door to the meat locker that would alert the servant when it was meal time.  If too much time passed between the spell activating and the door being opened, it meant the servant was dead; the spell would sound an alert, and their replacement was sent in.

 

 

The servant needed no command to perform their duties; if they attempted to refuse, they would simply be killed when the meal was late and their guard arrived with their replacement.  Their corpse would then be added to the dragon's meal.  The dragon's venom at least guaranteed a painless death, while human hands often relished suffering.  It was also more dignifying to die in private rather than be hacked up and tossed atop a pile of animal corpses.  To choose death at the dragon's fangs was the last thing resembling control anyone in Lyra's position had. 

 

For thousands of years, society's castaways had been sent to this wing of the castle and promptly forgotten.  Lyra had access to a service kitchen upstairs to feed herself for as long as she survived; the meals she had there would be her only chance for human interaction if it wasn't tradition to ignore the dragon's servant.  They were too close to dead to invest a single word in.  Hardly anyone had made eye contact with Lyra since her sentencing, and those who did gave her such a pitiful look her chest wished to implode just to avoid the fate they saw ahead of her.

 

The section of corridor which housed both the kitchen and the stairs down to the cell was closed off at night by a massive set of doors.  Guards patrolled the area outside this door only to stray from the watch of their superiors; a spell was cast on the threshold that would stop Lyra's heart if she crossed it.  The dragon's servant was a convenient excuse for a blissfully uneventful watch, but required no human intervention to keep imprisoned. 

 

Lyra arrived at the door to the cell.  She was almost numb with grim, visceral fear, but frustration provided an oddly cohesive background to the anguish.  She was enraged to know that she would perish because the dragon would see her no differently from those who imprisoned them both.  She knew it couldn't be blamed for the assumption, but she loathed being seen in the same light as them by any creature, no matter how foul or misguided. 

 

Lyra wasn't the first servant to believe they didn't deserve to die, and she wasn't the first to be correct.  The dragon tore through servants at a ravenous pace, and the death sentence loosened to align the dragon's fangs with the agendas of the powerful.

 

Lyra gently pushed the door open.  It creaked horribly, causing her to wince.  She didn't want to make so much noise.  Lyra stepped as quietly as she could into the cell, looking around cautiously.  The room was an expanse large enough that Lyra could not see its walls or ceilings.

 

Scattered patches of sunlight filtered down from somewhere above as the only source of light. The morning sun was strong, but the entire cell was carved from dull stone in a shade which greedily devoured most of the light to preserve the darkness.  Pillars about ten feet in diameter rose from the ground in wide rows, the columns in each row connected by support beams about fifty feet above the ground.  As far as Lyra could see, there was no deviation from the pattern or border to the room, aside from the wall hosting the door she came through.  The cell was a minimal and dreary grey expanse, just like the corridor.  Lyra felt a pang of morbid sorrow as she examined the bleak space left for the discarded to strike down the condemned.

 

There was no sign of the dragon anywhere.  Lyra wasn't sure if this would bode well for her as her heart sank.  She was happy not to be struck down immediately, but had been explicitly instructed to present the dragon with its meal.  Should she simply leave it by the door, the dragon would take offense to being fed like an animal, and wait by the door to slaughter her the next time she came in.  That was the only thing she was told, during the one very short and dismissive conversation about survival she managed to pry out of a guard.  Apparently, the dragon responded quickly and violently to any disrespect, any hint of treating it as an animal or prisoner.  Lyra grimly supposed it was the last thing resembling pride the dragon had left.

 

The sunlight was patchy, and large areas were eclipsed with darkness.  Lyra walked from patch to patch of light, her soul emptying its contents simply from occupying this space for a moment.  Lyra could feel it in her chest, thousands of hands reaching from the darkness to hollow out her ribcage.  She could feel every chunk of flesh being ripped away.  She couldn't imagine being here for thousands of years. 

 

Lyra heard the rhythmic scrape of something against stone.  Scales.  The sound echoed, making it difficult to discern its source.  She held her breath and didn't dare take another step.  Her heart beat like wings which tried to carry her to safety, breaking itself against her ribcage as it failed to escape.

 

"Rather bold of you to disturb my slumber, when you are far more appetizing than the rations I'm given," a low voice rasped through the chamber.  Lyra's stomach lurched; she hadn't spoken.  She'd tried to be quiet.  She silently cursed the stone beneath her feet as she looked wildly around.  She saw nothing, until she looked up.

 

Out of the darkness, eyes like pools of liquid platinum with white slit pupils leered down at her.  They were in sharp contrast to their gloomy surroundings, as if reflecting light to pierce the darkness.  The dragon had been laying across the support beam between two columns, and began rising to its feet with a menacing snarl. 

 

Each of its jagged teeth was the length of a human forearm.  Its face was reminiscent of a viper, and it had a long reptilian body, the bone structure of which somewhat feline as well.  It stood on four legs, but the front two feet resembled hands with ferocious talons.  Its scales were a rich silver with a faint shimmer to them, an odd white pattern adorning them as if painted for war.  It had massive, bat-like wings folded against its body.  Lyra was frozen in fear as she watched it shift into position to strike.

 

"Your heart pounds as if to escape your chest.  Perhaps it requires my assistance," the dragon growled, baring its fangs.  It leapt down, landing directly in front of Lyra. The stone crumbled beneath its feet upon impact, the sound like the crackle of wildfire.  Bits of rubble lashed against Lyra's skin and left small cuts.  Embers escaped from the gaps in the dragon's teeth as it hissed menacingly. 

 

"I was just bringing—" Lyra said the first thing she thought to, choking on her heart as it slammed into her throat.  The dragon cut her off with a harsh, rumbling voice which quaked through the foundation of the cell. 

 

"Yes, you were just bringing me old meat so I only figuratively waste away beneath the feet of humans."  Lyra leapt back, but couldn't escape the dragon's range as it lashed out with a claw, scratching her arm.  For a split second Lyra counted herself blessed to have dodged a fatal blow, and stumbled back a few steps, grateful for the distance she had achieved. 

 

Her stomach sank when she realized it wasn't possible for such a precise and dangerous beast to inflict such a small cut from such close range unintentionally. Her arm went numb, and hung uselessly by her side no matter how she willed it to move.  Lyra could feel the numbness rapidly spreading through her veins as her frantic heart betrayed her.  She struggled to remain on her feet.  Before her panicking mind could even conjure a word, the dragon continued, its voice raising in volume and resentment.

 

"Oh but let me guess, you're not like them, you didn't put me here."  With a sweep of a tail thick as a tree trunk, it knocked the wind out of Lyra, hurling her back a few feet.  The blow was as painful as the harsh landing upon the cold stone, but from the dragon's movement she could tell it was effortless.  Lyra was being batted around like a mouse.

 

Lyra struggled to clamber to her feet, which was impossible to observe.  She was frozen in the position she landed, sprawled awkwardly on her back, her head sore; she had done her best with the last bit of movement the venom allowed her to attempt to protect it upon landing, and only lessened the sharp blow enough to survive it.

 

Her frantic heart pumped the venom through her body at a rapid pace, and now the edges of her vision were blurring.  She was losing consciousness.  She watched through wide, tear-slicked eyes as the dragon lowered its head with a vicious growl, the thunderous echo of which quaking through the chamber. 

 

It slowly approached, baring its fangs as it spoke, "Humans invented atrocities beyond my imagination, forced me to carry them out, then condemned me for their sins." With a front foot the dragon pinned Lyra to the ground.  This was hardly necessary, although the dragon seemed to enjoy her panic.

 

"You're human just like them, but I'm sure you're not like them, are you?"  Its voice ignited the air with its molten loathing as it repeated words it had clearly heard thousands of times before.  The heat of the flames spilling from its breath began to lap at the space near Lyra, although the look in the dragon's eyes lowered the temperature of the room by several degrees.

 

"I— I'm sorry," Lyra's voice grew quieter as open jaws with jagged fangs slowly descended above her, a snarl rumbling from the dragon.  She lay frantically motionless as the venom slowly began to tug her out of consciousness. 

 

The last detail she could make out before the venom took hold and everything was consumed by darkness was the dragon's eyes, widened for some reason.  The last thing she thought was that she truly was sorry.  Neither of them deserved this.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

As Lyra drifted into consciousness, she wasn't immediately aware of her surroundings.  Before she opened her eyes, she heard something scrape across stone.  Either scales or claws, she realized jarringly.  She remembered all at once what had happened. 

 

She froze in terror as she felt the dragon's warm breath fall upon her, its snout brushing against her as it spoke; "Lunch is late.  I'm famished."

 

Lyra froze, her ears ringing as her heart pounded.  Hardly anyone lasted longer than a day, many of them being devoured at first sight, and they simply dropped off the food and fled.  Lyra was served on a platter in the absence of an alternative meal.  Each warm breath which fell upon her seared her with dread. 

 

She wished she could have been unconscious during her death.  Of course the dragon was intent enough on punishing her for her humanity to let her recuperate from the venom before going in for the kill.  Her heart continued to pound as she lay still, helpless prey sprawled in front of the massive predator, awaiting nature to claim her life. 

 

A moment passed, and nothing happened.  She slowly turned her head to see the dragon staring expectantly down at her, an irritated look on its face.  "Well?" It demanded, its voice booming over Lyra, "Fetch me my meal before you become it." 

 

Lyra practically leapt to her feet, "As you wish..." She trailed off when she realized she didn't have a name for the beast.

 

"Amaris."

 

Lyra's jaw dropped as she glanced up.  At seeing the dragon's impatient glare, she sprinted to the entrance of the cell, quickly snatching the handle of the now empty cart on the way out.  She could feel the dragon's eyes on her until the door was shut.  She let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding, the room spinning as she processed how close she had come to death.  A dragon attacked her.  She was defenseless.  It was going to eat her.  The detail of how and why she survived was indecipherable.  The confusion was liquid in her lungs, making it harder to breathe. 

 

Dread poured in until she began to drown. All her mind and body wished to do was run as far away as possible, yet Lyra had to return to her executioner quickly as possible.  She hurried down the hall, afraid she had already taken longer than the dragon would tolerate.

 

As she was halfway to the meat locker, the doorknob glowing a vibrant shade of crimson and uttering a shrill sound as the spell alerted to the lateness of the meal, she saw a guard escort a man down the stairs, presumably her replacement.  He was a rather disheveled person, about twice the size of Lyra.  He wobbled down the stairs and almost fell several times as his legs trembled.  They both looked at Lyra with stunned expressions, a look of mild relief in the eyes of her replacement.

 

"Oh.  You're alive?  You're not refusing, are you?" The guard placed a hand on his sword.

 

"I'm performing my duties now, sir," Lyra said flatly, gesturing to the cart. 

 

"Well you're late.  We got your replacement all ready... protocol is for me to execute you..." Lyra's face went pale as her replacement quickly covered his ears and turned away.  She wasn't entirely sure if it was from squeamishness or respect, or if she really wanted the only sympathetic face in the room turned away. 

 

"I only took this assignment to avoid having to do anything, so if you're getting this meal," he looked at the wall behind Lyra as he spoke before glancing over his shoulder at the wall behind her replacement, "Then you won't be needed until dinner."

 

"Until dinner?" Lyra asked quietly.  Her replacement turned to face them again with a mask of horror upon his face as he counted the hours to his demise.

 

"You're bringing the monster's lunch two hours late," the guard said in Lyra's direction, "that thing kills over nothing."

 

Lyra's replacement eyed her as if the earth they moved to dig his grave was used to bury her alive.  It made her feel as if gravity intensified just to shatter her kneecaps under the pressure. 

 

Lyra snapped herself out of her moment of wallowing to quickly dart into the meat locker.  The others took this as their chance to leave.  She grabbed the gloves and loaded six deer and two wild boar onto the cart with ease, hoping the extra food would satisfy the dragon's impatient appetite.  She sprinted down the corridor, although she felt she moved through water.

 

Lyra hoped the dragon sending her back out meant she might be spared a while longer if she made haste.  Or perhaps, she thought as the blood drained from her face, the dragon simply wished to have the rest of its meal before devouring Lyra for dessert; she certainly wouldn't be substantial to such a creature alone. 

 

It occurred to Lyra she ought to quit referring to it as the dragon in her head.  She said her name was Amaris.  The thought hung in  the anxious fog.  Lyra wasn't sure if it cleared or grew thicker as she thought of how she was the only human on record that knew Amaris's name. 

 

Lyra opened the door to Amaris's cell, and paced cautiously in.  She caught movement out of the corner of her eye just in time to see Amaris high above her, curled around one of the massive pillars, but not in time to respond as Amaris pounced.  She screamed as she toppled backwards.  Amaris landed on top of her, claws slamming to the ground next to her shoulders as she let out a vicious snarl. 

 

Amaris opened her jaws wide, and the last thing Lyra saw before closing her eyes out of terror was Amaris's bared fangs descending above her once more.

 

Lyra heard the sound of bones crunching, punctuated by the occasional loud gulp.  She glanced up to see Amaris swallow a boar whole.  She shuddered at the sight and closed her eyes again.  The sounds of flesh tearing and bones snapping continued. When it finally quieted, there was a pause in which Lyra cautiously looked up.

 

Amaris licked blood off her snout, and turned her attention down to Lyra, who stared up from wide, panicked eyes.  Lyra watched Amaris's expression grow amused.  "Poor little maiden, captured by the terrifying beast.  Do you wonder what will become of you?" Her voice froze Lyra's blood. 

 

Panic closed Lyra's throat as Amaris's jaws parted so her tongue could press against Lyra's stomach and glide up her torso.  Her spine almost broke with the strain of the horrified shudder this caused her.  "Never bring me another meal late, and you might wonder for a while."  The tone was mocking.

 

Lyra's heart pounded and her ears rang as Amaris's laugh echoed throughout the cell.  "My apologies, Amaris.  I will perform my duties on time."  She tried to sound calm, but her voice trembled as Amaris leered menacingly down at her.

 

Amaris gave her an odd, wide-eyed look, falling silent for a moment.  Lyra's face went pale as eons passed.  Amaris finally spoke.  "I haven't heard my name spoken aloud in thousands of years..."  Amaris mused.  She paced back and gazed calculatingly down at Lyra, who scrambled to her feet. 

 

"I— if that was too informal, I—"

 

"I enjoy hearing my name spoken.  I'm just surprised you remembered or used it."  Amaris lounged on the stone floor, stretching her wings and legs before settling into a comfortable position, "Humans never did, even when I bellowed it at them endlessly."  She affixed a curious gaze upon Lyra, "I never thought I'd get anyone to repeat it."

 

Amaris had positioned herself to block the exit, but her body was sprawled comfortably across the floor like a rabbit in the sun.

"How would you pass your time, if I allowed you to leave?"  Amaris asked.

 

Lyra was stumped by the question, in all honesty.  It occurred to her this cell, the servants' kitchen, the meat locker, and her own cell were the only places in the palace she could even go.  A full second passed between the demand for and the uttering of Lyra's response, which forced her heart into their throat.  She spoke as she thought.  "Um, well, I suppose I'd get something to eat... then go to my quarters... I'd wait until it was time to serve you again, then I'd fetch your meal.  And... I guess that would just repeat."

 

Lyra's eyes flitted to her own cell, which was just a pitiful cube of an indent into this cell.  Her chest hurt for a moment, observing how pathetic it looked from here. 

 

"Such a meager existence," Amaris observed, her eyes following the path of Lyra's, "Do you have nothing else to fill your time?"

 

"I'm not allowed anywhere else," Lyra said quietly as her eyes glossed over.  It was beginning to weigh on her that every day she survived she would still spend jailed in agonizing solitude.  Was it even worth surviving?  Did those who died immediately take the secret of their fortune to the grave?  How long could Lyra last without other humans even taking notice of her before she fell into madness worse than death?  Her mind spiraled for a moment.  Tears threatened to form in her eyes as she fought them back.

 

"Why not?" Amaris's inquiry snapped Lyra back to reality.  She stunned herself for a moment, but that was short-lived; of course she would be capable of losing focus during a conversation with a dragon who may decide to kill her at any moment.  Lyra was just relieved she hadn't missed anything Amaris had said.  To not speak when addressed would offend a dragon.

 

"I'm a prisoner," Lyra said somberly.  Amaris's eyes widened slightly, and she stared silently down at Lyra for a moment.

 

"I never before wondered why they select the humans they do..." Amaris muttered, "Now I learn you're simply expendable... No, condemned."  Amaris rose to her feet.  Lyra's stomach lurched.  She hadn't meant for Amaris to draw that conclusion.  "They lock you up with me, set you alone and defenseless beside my every meal... they want me to eat you.  They've given you to me because I'm their executioner..."

 

Lyra stumbled frantically back.  Her face turned white as Amaris moved toward her.  She reached for Lyra and plucked her from the ground, hardly noting her attempts to scramble away or break free from her grip. "If nobody will miss you," Amaris raised Lyra to her eye level, her breath tousling Lyra's hair, "I might as well keep you for a little while."

 

Lyra let out a shuddering gasp as Amaris spread her wings and took off with a gale of wind which rose a cloud of dust beneath them.  Lyra was pressed between the smooth scales of the dragon's chest and its hand.  Fierce claws curved around her body, pinning her in place while shielding her from the wind. 

 

Lyra's heart pounded, the mighty beast's scales cold where they pressed against her cheek.  She could hear Amaris's heart thundering swiftly, and agonized over what it could mean; was it simply the strain of flying, or did the dragon's heart rage in anticipation of a meal? 

 

Wind tried to rip Lyra's hair out, but was restrained to simply tugging angrily at the locks which drifted closest to the gaps in Amaris's cage-like claws.  Gravity abandoned her as if it too feared the beast which had claimed her, and now dragged her to the depths of its den. 

 

Lyra didn't note time's passage, too busy being gripped with dread as Amaris flew.  The monochrome, repetitive nature of the cell did nothing to help her gauge the distance.  She only knew they moved almost painfully fast.

 

Gravity begrudgingly fell back upon Lyra as Amaris landed.  Now that the world outside of the vicious talons curled around her helpless form was not simply a blur, she examined her surroundings through the gaps.

 

They were in a massive cavern of a room.  It was rough in shape but overall a large sphere, as if an explosion had occurred to create it.  Portions of nearby pillars looked as if they had been melted away.  The texture of the walls was strange, as if something geometric yet organic had been hacked into them, leaving a surreal beauty. 

 

There was a massive hole in the ceiling which allowed the room to fill with sunlight, combating the dreary grey.  A curtain of ivy dripped softly down from the diameter of it, gently swaying in a soft breeze.  A waterfall crashed down through the center of it, the crystalline water collecting in a deep basin which was cut into the floor.  The water continued to flow through a single channel which led through the wall, and Lyra was not sure where after.  Against the back wall was a massive pile of furs varying in sizes and shades. 

 

Amaris took a few slow steps toward the pile of furs.  She laid down upon them, curling her body like a cat, resting her front legs comfortably in front of her, a hand directly behind the one which held Lyra.  Lyra noted as Amaris relinquished her grip but kept her palm pressed against Lyra's back, that she had arranged her front legs to prevent any way for Lyra to flee.

 

Lyra was torn between wanting to pull away from Amaris's claws, and wanting to back further away from Amaris's teeth.  She tried to seem calm.  It wasn't working.  Her face was white, her knees shaking.  She couldn't figure out what the dragon's behavior was supposed to mean; she had no similar stories for comparison.  Nobody had been taken here before. 

 

Lyra realized with a jolt of agony that she didn't know for a fact her situation was unique.  Nobody checked on what happened to the dragon's servants anymore; all she had were a few ancient stories to reference.  Anything could happen without anyone bothering to know of it.  Perhaps this was simply where Amaris slaughtered her live meals.  Perhaps everyone thought only they knew her name or saw this place.  Lyra's mind tortured her, sending anxieties quaking through her body as it seemed to decide if it couldn't prevent her fate, it might as well spend its last moments predicting it. 

 

 

"Why do you refer to me by name?" Amaris asked.  Lyra was startled by the question; it hadn't occurred to her that using one's name would require explanation, so she had none readily available.  She mulled over her words as she spoke them, wincing as the concepts which come most naturally are often the hardest to explain without sounding as if you're being insultingly simple, "You told me your name, so..." Amaris's gaze was unnerving her; she listened too intently.  Lyra's voice began to grow quiet, "It seemed like... common courtesy to use your name after you told it to me.  It didn't really occur to me not to use it."  The truth fell out when she couldn't think of anything prettier.  Only after she spoke did it occur to her that she could have complimented Amaris's name, or spoken as if uttering it was out of reverence for a master.  She was certain a dragon would eat that up instead of her.

 

Amaris raised a brow, and Lyra suspected she too noticed an opportunity to praise her was missed.  Lyra expected annoyance, but a grin spread across Amaris's face.  "I could eat you in one bite.  I've eaten everyone before you.  Yet you fret about common courtesy, treat me as you would anyone else?  You're too foolish for this world if that's what you concern yourself with while you're around me."  She laughed.  The sound was a shock wave through the cell, stunning Lyra.  Had any other human heard her laugh?

 

"I have one more question for you, human," Amaris's tone smoothed a bit, her voice gentler as she asked, "Why did you apologize to me when we met?"

 

"What?" Lyra froze, stunned. 

 

"I struck you defenseless with my venom.  I was about to swallow you whole," Amaris said.  Lyra was stricken with flashbacks of her own petrified face reflected across the fangs which descended for her. She grimaced and her stomach contorted as if experiencing it again. "You apologized to me, believing I was going to devour you anyway.  Why?"

 

"I just didn't think you deserved this." It took all of Lyra's strength to speak, and her voice cracked to reveal her nerves. 

 

"How do you know I don't deserve my imprisonment?  I was handling you as prey.  From your perspective I imagine I behaved as a wild beast who should be locked up." Lyra shrank away from Amaris's gaze without realizing it.  Something in her eyes was far too keen, trying to read far too much of her, and far too determined to succeed.

 

"I understand why you hate humans.  What we've done to you is horrible.  We just keep letting centuries pass without an effort to fix any of those wrongs.  I couldn't blame you for hating me," Lyra said.  She wasn't sure what to resort to beside honesty; she was too awful at inventing lies to stake her life on one.

 

"Then why bother apologizing, if you accept my hatred so calmly?"

 

"I just... it felt like you deserved to hear those words from a human voice, even if it wasn't enough."

 

"But why?  Why was a single thought of yours on me, what I deserve?  I was killing you!" Amaris was staring sharply down at Lyra now, trying to decipher a secret language etched into her bones, as the answer she sought was in words otherwise lost.

 

"I don't know," Lyra said, then after a pause, "I guess I felt if I was dying, what happened to me didn't matter anymore.  But you would still be here."

 

Amaris gawked down at Lyra.  Lyra squirmed uncomfortably. "Your last wish would have been to comfort your killer," Amaris mused, "Had I not been shocked into stopping, those would have been your last words." 

 

Lyra wasn't sure how to respond.  She waited quietly for Amaris to say something else.  She couldn't read the emotion coming from Amaris beside noting its intensity.  She felt the air in her lungs liquefy. 

 

Lyra didn't know what Amaris had expected from this conversation, but Lyra's answers had clearly not been anticipated.  Amaris was processing them, picking apart each of Lyra's words to compare with the script she'd prepared.  Lyra wondered if straying was good or bad. Without a hint from Amaris's expression, Lyra convinced herself this could only mean the worst.

 

Amaris stared down quietly for a moment longer, then her eyes began to glow, followed by her markings.  Lyra was gripped with panic as she noticed her skin glowing faintly as well.  Did Amaris intend to punish her for giving unsatisfactory responses?

 

Amaris's voice echoed oddly as she spoke, the cadence of it sounding as if reciting something.  Lyra couldn't decipher the language.  As abruptly as the gesture began, it ended.  Amaris's eyes and Lyra's skin stopped glowing.  "What.. was..."

 

"Do not question me, human," Amaris grumbled.  She rose to her feet.  "I am growing hungry."  She picked Lyra back up in her claws and pressed her to her chest again, only this time Lyra noticed as they took off, she was being held a bit more delicately. 

 

When Amaris took flight, the speed was not so close to unbearable.  It was exhilarating.  Lyra took it as a welcome distraction from her mind and focused on nothing but how it felt to fly.  Again Lyra failed to take note of time or distance as her mind found something to ache over anyway.  Huge as this cell was, she doubted it allowed Amaris the room she needed to truly enjoy such a gift.  A hint of sorrow left traces of frost in the wind.

 

Amaris reached the entrance of her cell and gently placed Lyra in front of the door as she landed.  Lyra stumbled, almost knocked back by the gale from the movement of her wings.  "Fetch me my meal before you become it," Amaris grumbled.  Her tone wasn't as threatening as it usually was.  She seemed almost annoyed with herself at that, and shot a warning glare at Lyra as if to compensate. 

 

"As you wish, Amaris," Lyra said timidly, and quickly left, heading for the meat locker.  She felt Amaris's eyes on her back until the cell door was closed.  She didn't dare meet Amaris's gaze.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 

****

Dinner was uneventful compared to the last two meals.  As if she'd had her fill of speaking to humans for the day, Amaris simply ate the three moose Lyra brought without a glance at her.  Once finished, she took off for the depths of her cell. 

 

Once the door was shut Lyra collapsed against it.  The harrowing day was finally over, and she was somehow alive.  She tried not to let the thought of having to repeat it all tomorrow make her any less relieved it was over for the night.  She couldn't wait to sleep. 

 

The excitement of the thought disappeared when she glanced at the door to her quarters.  She was only safer in there by delusion; sleep would be difficult. 

 

Her stomach rumbled, and she finally realized it ached out of hunger, the twists and pangs of terror having concealed it before.  Come to think of it, she'd neglected to feed herself all day.  She supposed she would get something to eat, although it would have to be cake or pastries of some sort.  Nothing that could even remotely remind her of the appetite-killing imagery of the day.  Such unhealthy habits didn't have the time they needed to kill her anyway. 

 

When Lyra was first escorted to this wing and briefly shown the location of the service kitchen, she kept her face downcast.  She knew nobody wished to speak with her, so there was no point in averting her gaze from the floor.  There was now almost a strut to Lyra's step when she ascended the stairs and entered the service kitchen as a few maids cleaned, the chef recently relieved of duty.  The counter near the stove housed a small assortment of confections carefully covered to keep them fresh, presumably to be served to nobles in the morning.  The cake sat in the center like the dazzling monarch of the delicacies offered. 

 

Lyra lifted the glass cover and dropped it on the counter next to her with a loud clatter.  She was the only person in the room not to jump at the sound or glance worriedly at the glass to ensure it hadn't broken.  Lyra stuck her finger into the frosting of the cake, licking the wad of frosting off her finger as she picked up the entire plate and began to carry it. She grabbed one fork on the way out of the kitchen.  She did so with her head held high.  Nobody wanted anything to do with her anyway, so there was no point in following social norms.  She licked a wad of frosting off the cake as she carried it.  She didn't even take note of the incredulous glances she was given by the maids, or attempt to make out syllables in the whispers that tried to follow her as she left.

 

Lyra's confidence was only applicable to humans; her heart still beat uncomfortably and her breathing was still ragged as she tried not to think about Amaris.  She was going to die soon, almost died twice today.  She was going to eat cake and not think about it.  Every fiber of her being was laser- focused on the stolen confection in childish avoidance of a reality she couldn't escape. 

 

Once she reached her cell Lyra hardly took note of her surroundings, and placed the cake on a small square pillar which rose about three feet from the floor like a table.  She dove a fork into the cake and sighed as she had a bite.  It wasn't freedom, but the frosting was exquisite, and not even to conceal a subpar sponge.  The whole cake was sugary velvet.  It was the best thing Lyra had experienced since her sentencing.  She refused to think of how sad that was.

 

Lyra finished a quarter of it before she absolutely loathed herself for the pain she had willfully put herself in.  Now that cake was a sore spot in her abdomen rather than a sugary distraction, Lyra's mind fell upon the events of the day as she glanced around the room.

 

The furniture was comprised of carved stone, jutting from the floor at the standard height for their use.  The bed had a thin woven mat on top of it.  Aside from the bed, table, a clock affixed to the wall, and a single torch, there was nothing in this room.

 

Lyra laid on the bed and felt like she was under the weight of the ocean.  Numbness, panic and misery washed over her like waves from all directions, sometimes lapping at her, other times pulling her under to drown.  Somehow she couldn't figure out which of them was the worst to feel.  At some moments the misery and numbness danced in a deadly spiral which made Lyra wonder why she shouldn't just anger Amaris, get herself killed, and get the agony over with.  Panic would then interject and take quick control with flashbacks of those horrid fangs. 

 

Lyra was both terrified of dying and wholly uninterested in the life she was forced to live.  Somehow they didn't cancel out, they just escalated each other in their attempt to do so.  Her body was sore from the stress alone.  Her head had a stabbing pain from the burden of her thoughts. 

 

Despite her efforts to put it off, she began to agonize over what tomorrow would hold.  Two days was the maximum any servant lived, as the loophole used to survive three days would never work again.  She was certain she was going to die tomorrow. 

 

Lyra noted with a groan it was three in the morning.  She only had four hours to sleep if she fell unconscious immediately, and she was upsettingly awake while her body screamed for rest.  Perhaps the inevitable end would simply be her sleep deprivation causing her to disappoint Amaris.  Perhaps this was the end of every servant. 

 

Without warning rubble began to rain from the corner of the room opposite the bed.  Lyra shrieked when she saw Amaris's talons protrude from the wall and ceiling, piercing the stone with ease. Amaris dragged her hand down the wall, removing any separation between the cells.  "Something smells delicious," Amaris growled.  She lowered her snout into Lyra's cell.  Lyra trembled. 

 

Amaris glanced at the terrified woman.  "You weren't what I was talking about.  Although you should give me whatever you're stashing away before I take you as a substitute."

 

For a moment the shock stopped Lyra from thinking clearly. Then it occurred to her.  The cake.  "I—Is this it?" She asked timidly, lifting the cake from the table. 

 

Without a word Amaris lunged with bared fangs, snatching the cake out of her hands.  Lyra screamed as Amaris's tongue brushed her arm and her fangs grazed her skin.  "You humans always hoard the best food for yourselves," Amaris growled with a sharp look at Lyra, "You fed me old meat all day."

 

"I— I didn't think that was big enough—" Lyra was quaking.  She offended a dragon.  It hadn't occurred to her to share; that was just a crumb to such a massive creature.

 

"It wasn't.  I will require a cart full," Amaris said, "You will bring me a fourth meal at this hour tomorrow.  I assume you don't have permission from the other humans to gather such decadence for me, and will have to steal it; I'll allow you the cover of darkness for such a task."  With a gust of wind, she was gone.  Lyra glanced around at what remained of her quarters.  Only half of it stood now.  It was a pathetic open structure with Lyra's pathetic bed covered in bits of rubble.  Lyra shuddered at the image of Amaris's claws tearing through stone like it was nothing.

 

She shakily stood and swept the rubble off her bed, glancing over her shoulder.  Amaris had indeed disappeared into the depths of the cell; she listened intently and scanned the area for the faint reflective glow of her silver eyes to confirm.  Lyra sat on her bed, leaning against the last wall left fully standing while clutching her knees, trying to huddle under the last corner of visible ceiling left. 

 

No matter how she tried she couldn't stop staring out into the darkness, fearing Amaris may emerge from the murky depths of the abyss to strike should she fall asleep.  She tried to reassure herself.  Amaris designated a task for her tomorrow.  It meant she'd at least make it until then.  Perhaps she'd only make it until then.  Her skin was covered in goosebumps.  She couldn't stop shaking.  She hated how exposed her cell was to the emptiness.

 

She glanced around at the destruction again.  Amaris was treating her differently than other servants; nobody checked up on these quarters.  They certainly wouldn't be routinely repaired.  Amaris only saw fit to leave Lyra without shelter from her.  Yet she also hadn't attacked since their first meeting.  She'd spoken to Lyra as if she was different.  Lyra reeled back and forth from imagining her fate would be the same as any other servant, to feeling hers would be vastly different, and she was unsure if the differences would be for better or worse.  The unknown suffocated her in the darkness. 

 

After a pitiful attempt at sleep occupied by gruesome nightmares of Amaris devouring her, Lyra wasn't sure how she felt about it being time to wake up.  On one hand, the process of attempting to sleep was maddening.  On the other, she desperately needed sleep.  She sighed.  That didn't matter.  Pushing through the hindrances of overwork was a finely tuned skill Lyra had developed over time. 

 

Lyra glanced nervously around the cell.  She didn't see anything move.  She rushed into the hallway; she didn't want to encounter Amaris again without a suitable offering.  She knew she walked along the razor thin edge of the beast's patience. 

 

Lyra hurried toward the meat locker, and once she was inside, she carefully examined the contents with a look of disgust.  She tried her best to select the freshest specimens, and after deciding two corpulent pigs was the most tolerable option, she grabbed the gloves and nervously loaded the cart.  They still seemed insulting to present after Amaris had mentioned displeasure with the quality of her offerings.

 

Lyra nervously brought the pigs to the cell, reminding each frantic heartbeat that she at least had until three in the morning to live.  She wasn't going to die at this particular moment, she tried to convince the most stubborn voices in her head to no avail. 

 

Amaris was lounging expectantly near the door when Lyra entered.  She tensed as if Amaris's gaze was a series of threads throughout her body which had been pulled taught.  The critical, curious look was far too much pressure; Lyra didn't know what she was supposed to be.

 

Amaris's eyes had an expectant gleam to them.  Lyra realized it was rude not to greet her.  "Good morning, Amaris," she said quietly.

 

"No morning is good when you wake in a prison," Amaris grunted as she rose to her feet and prowled toward the pigs, "It appears you've picked fresher meat for me this morning.  At least slightly." Lyra's chest tightened for a moment as she worried the gesture wasn't good enough; she couldn't have done better, however. 

 

"Still nothing like a fresh kill," Amaris said, and affixed her eyes on Lyra.  Fear strangled her and tied her down.  Perhaps this was the end of every servant before her; Amaris simply grew thirsty for fresher blood.  Perhaps survival was not a matter of how long Lyra appeased Amaris, but how long it took for Amaris's carnivorous nature to claim her.

 

After a pause spanning far too many heartbeats, in which those luminous platinum eyes pried and tore at her skin to see within, Amaris finally added, "I suppose you made an effort."

 

"Th— Thank you, Amaris," Lyra said, her voice cracking, and bowed nervously.  She wasn't entirely sure why she bowed.  Lyra peered up at Amaris.  The dragon's eyes widened, and it took Lyra a moment to register the flash of vicious teeth as a smile.

 

A laugh boomed through the cell, thundering against every surface with an airy cadence.  The temperature of the cell seemed to rise.  "You squeak like a mouse over such minimal praise?  You really are terrified I'll eat you.  Do you not remember you are to bring me a fourth meal tonight?  I would at least save you for dessert."

 

Amaris grinned wickedly down at the face Lyra made.  Lyra wasn't sure how she looked, but she felt the ground dropping away from her.  I would at least save you for dessert.  It could be interpreted as hypothetical, if you were stupidly optimistic.  Lyra would be dead tomorrow in the sunless morning.  "Speaking of the matter, I desire one cart of confections, another of chickens, whole, plucked, and bloody," Amaris demanded.  The hunger in her voice caused Lyra to shudder so hard she almost toppled over.

 

"As you wish, Amaris," Lyra said, trying to sound chipper to perform the task as she eyed the massive cart upon which two eight foot long pig corpses comfortably rested.  Would the sheer number of chickens required to fill it possibly go unnoticed, or even be stocked?

 

Amaris was watching Lyra's movements closely, and as she incredulously eyed the cart, Amaris stated, "This palace houses hundreds of servants.  There is enough food stored to feed them three times over.  The kitchen down here has enough to sate my hunger as well as the humans'," with a scowl she added, "It always has."

 

Amaris quietly examined Lyra's expression, and after a pause shot Lyra a strange look.  "Well?" She demanded.

 

"Uh— what?" Lyra stammered, stepping back in surprise.  Amaris hadn't asked anything new of her since she agreed to the task.

 

"Your eyes are curious.  You wish to ask me a question," Amaris said, leaning slightly closer as that piercing gaze intensified. 

 

Lyra froze, worried asking questions of Amaris might irritate her if she asked the wrong one.  She couldn't stay silent with those pale silver eyes demanding her voice.  "How do you know how many servants there are? Or how much food is stocked?" She decided honesty had gotten her this far; might as well ask what she wondered.

 

"Rather magnificent skill, isn't it?" Amaris said pridefully, "My senses are sharp enough that from the scents and vibrations of things moving across the ground and in the air, I can tell where every creature is within miles of me, human to fly, living or dead," She seemed to enjoy the opportunity to boast about herself. 

 

"What else can you do?" Lyra decided Amaris might enjoy the opportunity to brag about herself more.  Lyra would make herself a flattering audience.  Perhaps it would gain her enough favor to survive longer. 

 

"Was that not impressive enough?" Amaris huffed.

 

"I'm just fascinated by your majesty and power," Lyra blurted out, worried she'd offended.  She almost bowed again. 

 

"Majesty and power? You really are desperate to please me," Amaris said through an uproarious laugh.  Flames appeared from her throat and began to pour from her mouth.  She gave Lyra a mischievous look, then whipped her head around to face the interior of the cell.  She roared, and a massive blue plume of fire erupted forth.  The span of it decimated a distance of thirty feet by ten feet wide.

 

Anything hit directly was vaporized by the intense heat; chunks of the pillars standing near the blast were missing.  Molten stone dripped down them where the flames had only kissed.  The entire area glowed orange from the sheer heat near the fire.  Lyra gaped with an open mouth.  "I guess I can do that too," Amaris said. 

 

Before she could stifle it, a laugh burst from Lyra.  Amaris's informal tone had been in such stark contrast to both her usual manner of speaking and the display Lyra had just witnessed, Lyra couldn't help but laugh for a split second before quickly clasping her hands over her mouth.  Amaris's eyes darted to her.  Lyra gawked back from behind a mask of horror, feeling dizzy.  She was too busy spiraling to be able to read the expression in those mirror-like eyes without extreme bias.

 

To laugh at such a ferociously prideful beast would surely be met with retaliation, especially when Amaris had just been demonstrating power which should only inspire awe. She could already hear Amaris's ferocious roar boom, How dare you mock me, human?  The flames burned her skin before Amaris even brought them forth. Lyra closed her eyes and waited to die.  A moment passed.  It was quiet.

 

"You're allowed to laugh, you know," Amaris finally huffed.  Her voice sounded a bit offended.  Lyra's eyes snapped open and she looked back up at Amaris.  She looked disappointed. "That will be all for now."  Amaris took a few massive strides backwards before taking off, the wind from her wings only batting gently at Lyra's skirt. 

 

Lyra shivered.  Even without a scratch inflicted each encounter was no less harrowing.  As Amaris disappeared into the darkness of the cell, Lyra felt as if the shadow of a hand moved from her throat.  It seemed to appear with every hint of Amaris's presence, threatening to halt her breathing at any moment, releasing only when she left. 

 

Lyra silently grabbed the handle of the cart and brought it out of the cell.  Her mind was in turmoil once again. Every time Lyra entered that cell it felt her thoughts were battered around by the beast as she toyed with her prey.

 

She tried to make Lyra laugh.  She was disappointed when Lyra was too afraid to.  Lyra dropped the handle of the cart as it rolled by the door to the meat locker.  She didn't hear the sharp clang of metal on stone amplified by the empty space which both closed in and melted away.  Why would a dragon care to make a human laugh?  It didn't make sense.  Lyra couldn't understand it.  The uncertainty made the air around her so dense she walked along the ocean floor to depths the sunlight would never touch.

 

Lyra was so unaware of her surroundings she walked directly into a guard as she crossed the massive hall between the bleak stairs to the prison and the entrance to the servant's kitchen.  It hardly slowed her pace, the blow glancing off of her numb shoulder like the echo of a complaint.  Her mind was too consumed with Amaris, and what would become of her with her fate locked in the dragon's claws. 

 

The first protest was a snap, the second a growl, the third a bellow, each growing closer as Lyra kept walking away without apology.  The sound glanced off the surface of her thoughts, unable to sink past the current of anxiety which electrified every cell of her body.  By the time she could be partially roused enough to blankly glance over her shoulder, her heart leapt in surprise, then a look of confusion overcame her face. 

 

A moment passed in tableau without audience.  Lyra had whirled around to face her attacker, snapped quickly into reality as she placed her feet at a right angle to one another and shifted her stance to be balanced but mobile, guarding her face with one forearm and stomach with the other as her hands curled into fists.  At the sight of the raised fist so close behind her Lyra would have swept a knee with her shin while slamming an elbow into the back of his neck, the forward momentum of his own blow helping to send him careening to the floor. 

 

The sudden pause was from him.  His eyes were suddenly glazed over, dead-looking.  He was frozen in the beginning of action, as if waiting for an artist to capture him as reference before releasing the pose.  He muttered something under his breath.  It was difficult to make out over the clattering of porcelain, ceramic, and metal against one another over a faint backdrop of rushing water and sizzling oil wafting from the kitchen to present the flavor of the cuisine on the air.  He fell silent and his fist dropped to his side.  He stood rigid, yet limp.  His head tilted faintly to one side.  Lyra opened her mouth to speak.

 

A loud bang caused Lyra to flinch but did not seem to register to the guard as the massive doors segmenting this dreaded portion of the castle off from the rest hit the wall.  They had been left just open enough for a few people to fit through as they carried out their duties, as they always were up until midnight when the guards retreated to the other side to continue their shifts.  Apparently that was not enough for the guard in finer armor than his counterparts, who kicked one of the doors on his way in, slamming it into the wall.  He smirked when Lyra flinched, but did not make eye contact. 

 

"Hey, we've been dispatched.  Let's go," he barked at the motionless guard.

 

"I have to go to—" His voice was monotone, eyes hollow, mouth moving little as possible.  He did not turn away from Lyra, who felt none of the typical discomfort eye contact brought her as she stared into blue pools of nothing. 

 

"Don't argue with your captain.  We need to leave now.  Go wherever you were going after we return." The presumed captain barked. 

 

"After?" The hollow guard asked.  The sound of his voice was wind through ruins, causing Lyra to shiver, "We will return, and I can go to her then?"

 

The captain glanced back and forth from Lyra to the hollow guard with a raised eyebrow, making Lyra uncomfortable with his gaze while still avoiding her eyes.  "If she isn't dragon food by then, sure buddy, have fun."

 

The hollow guard seemed satisfied not in expression, but in his vaguely unsettling trudge toward the captain as he turned and lead him away.  "You've got... interesting taste, buddy," the captain muttered at the hollow guard with a quick leer back at Lyra. 

 

Lyra scowled and forced his eyes to meet hers as she tried to express just how little she thought of him in a look alone.  He raised an eyebrow and smirked.  He didn't seem to notice the hollow guard never responded to him, and turned his attention back to leaving this portion of the castle quickly as possible.  Confident as anyone tried to seem, there was always a scurry to every footstep this close to Amaris's prison. 

 

Lyra gawked at the space the hollow guard had voided, her eyes sucked back to the spot every time she tried to look away.  Not a single bit of that made sense to her.  Was "her" referring to Lyra at all?  She didn't get the feeling it was.  Even if his eyes fell in her direction, it was coincidental.  He looked at nothing around him at that moment.  Nothing present was relevant to him. 

 

A harsh, lurching rumble in Lyra's stomach interrupted her swirl of bewildered thought fragments.  She rushed to the restroom next to the stairs to the prison.  After some agony, Lyra washed her hands, and her face as well.  She soaked a cloth with water and rubbed it over all of her exposed skin with a sigh.  She wished she could access someplace private with running water. 

 

Lyra head for the kitchen and spent a long while making herself a late breakfast, cooking massive plates of food just to eat small portions of each, as if preparing a feast for fellow ghosts.  She didn't want to return to Amaris's cell, but with the walls to her own cell torn down she could think of nowhere else to be than that kitchen, therefore there was nothing else to do but cook.  Lyra found herself caught in the awkward struggle of dreading the passage of time she was unable to fill.  The boredom mocked her; Lyra was spending the last hours of her life waiting for it to end. 

 

As Lyra went about cooking for the sake of having a task to do, a maid walked into the kitchen.  Lyra felt confused eyes on her back.  She looked up.  Lyra accidentally caught her eyes and there was a flash of recognition as the maid identified her as the dragon's servant.  Her pose stiffened and a look of unease crossed her face.  She was clearly deciding to come back later.  "Don't say hello or anything, god forbid the dragon's food have any human interaction whatsoever."  Lyra was quickly tiring of her own silence, and of those who appreciated it. 

 

"I'm sorry, it's just... if I get to know you at all... it'll hurt when...". The maid's voice was truly apologetic, but it brought venom to Lyra's. 

 

"Sympathy hurts.  It's part of being human.  But go ahead and pretend it isn't so you can be comfortable.  Doesn't matter to me either way; don't you see me having a feast with all my friends here to offer me some semblance of comfort in these stressful times?" Lyra gestured broadly at the table she'd piled with every recipe she knew how to make and surrounded with empty chairs, "There isn't even room at the table for you."

 

"...you're right," she said quietly, "You at least deserve someone to talk to."  She stunned Lyra by stepping into the kitchen; Lyra had expected her comments to lash at a retreating target.  She watched Lyra cook for a moment with a puzzled expression.  "That's a lot of food you're making."

 

"Is that why you were looking at me funny while walking in?"

 

"No, actually, I'm just surprised to see you make such huge helpings by hand.  Why not make one serving and duplicate the rest?"

 

Lyra just gave her a blank look.  She was certain she was being mocked.  "Are you trying to suggest to me I make food appear out of thin air?"

 

"Not out of thin air, goodness.  That serving platter over there has an enchantment upon it.  It's why this kitchen has such little stock for ingredients despite how many people it feeds.  The chefs prepare one meal, the enchantment summons the exact ingredients and modifies them to make as many duplicates as desired.  As long as the raw ingredients are stocked in the  castle, of course."

 

"Huh," Lyra said.  "For now, I think I'm just cooking because it passes time.  Not really looking to save any... Do you want any of this?  I'm not even hungry anymore."  She waved lazily at the pile of food she was still adding to.

 

"Oh... That's generous.  Thank you."  The maid gave Lyra a cautious look as she sat in front of a plate piled high with eggs.  The gesture seemed appreciated, but it was clear the temptation to think of Lyra as anything more than a walking corpse was not.  Lyra watched in morbid fascination as the maid's eyes cautiously hardened, unwilling to be coaxed into shedding tears for Lyra when she was gone. 

 

Lyra turned her back without a response, pointing lazily to a pot of coffee she'd prepared as she did so; she didn't want the maid to interpret any expectations from her actions.  Lyra resented being openly ignored, but she didn't expect to make any friends either.  She was content with pleasant company.  If she was being entirely honest, the thought that nobody would mourn her passing was becoming a relief; it brought her only guilt to imagine her death hurting anyone. 

 

The maid finished as much of the offerings as she could, and gave Lyra a long, cautious look which grew sorrowful.  She quietly walked toward the hall, and paused as she passed the threshold of the door.  "Thank you for the breakfast, even though I was rude..." after a pause, "Maybe someone ought to mourn you after all."  She left as if embarrassed to say such a thing.

 

The chefs arrived to begin preparing lunch and glared at the mess Lyra made, shaking their heads and complaining loudly without looking once at her.  "I was going to clean up in a minute," Lyra said.  They didn't address her.  They just continued to glare around as if the empty room would address their frustration in her place.

 

Lyra scowled.  She grabbed a bottle of corn oil from the counter and uncapped it.  While one chef had his back turned Lyra stuffed the bottle down the back of his shirt.  Oil flooded down his back, soaking his pants as well.  He shouted, and quickly untucked his shirt to let the empty bottle clatter to the ground after the damage had been done.  Lyra turned and left without another word.  They wanted not to miss her so bad, she figured that would be a great favor to them. They could even be happy when she died.

 

By now it was time for Amaris's lunch.  Lyra found a bear among the carcasses, and she was sure she'd have noticed it before, so it seemed to be the newest of the selections offered.  Lyra added a few deer onto the cart and brought it down to Amaris's cell.  She paused by the door.  Amaris herself confirmed Lyra would at least make it to morning.  Yet she still couldn't push her heart out of her throat at the thought of facing her again.  Lyra wondered how long it would be before her heart simply gave out.

 

When Lyra paced into the cell, it was silent.  She peered cautiously around.  Amaris was nowhere to be seen.  With a quiet sigh of equal parts relief and anguish which refused to dull one another, she began to wheel the cart deeper into the cell.  She didn't make it far before she heard movement behind her and whirled around.  Amaris had been silently perched on the wall above the door, with the ease in which a salamander did so.  It was as if gravity simply allowed her to do as she pleased regardless of her mass, or perhaps gravity could not allow or prevent anything with regard to her.

 

Now that Lyra had wandered into the cell, she prowled down in front of the door, and leaned against it as she reclined.  Her tail snaked around her and snatched the handle of the cart out of Lyra's hand.  Lyra let out a startled gasp as Amaris's scales brushed across her hand gently, but pulled the cart from her hand ferociously.  With a gleeful look at the bear, Amaris tore it in half with her teeth.

 

Lyra averted her eyes from the grizzly scene, agonizing as she could feel Amaris's eyes planted solidly on her as she ate.  Her chest hurt through to her back from stress as she wondered if she was expected to say or do something before she was permitted to leave, or if she even would be permitted to leave.

 

Amaris's gaze grew calculating as she asked, "How have the other humans been treating you?" 

 

"Huh?" Lyra gaped for a moment, having imagined a million scenarios in which she died, but none in which such a trivial detail mattered, "Uh, fine, I guess..."

 

"That sounded certain," Amaris said flatly.  She stared sharply down at Lyra to dissect her with a look, "Are you hiding things from me?"

 

"I would never, Amaris," Lyra blustered, "It really is fine.  They don't hurt me or berate me.  Or talk to me..."

 

Amaris raised an eyebrow at this.  "The other humans don't appreciate your company?"

 

"They don't want to know anything about me.  They don't want to feel anything for me."

 

"Why not?"

 

"They don't want to have to mourn me," Lyra said.  An abrupt silence came over them in which Lyra was terrified to glance at Amaris's expression.  She was compelled to break it, not wanting the last words which hung in the air to be a reminder Amaris intended to kill her,  "I mean, it really is fine.  Sure nobody willingly makes eye contact with me, but I don't really like eye contact from strangers anyway. And it means I get to be as obnoxious as I want without consequence."

 

Amaris laughed, seeming equally eager to gloss over the mention of Lyra's death.  "Yes, there is a certain comfort to embracing their rejection; in condemning us they free us of their expectations.  We need not dance for them.  But those they claim to care for will never be allowed to cease."

 

Lyra's eyes widened as they met Amaris's at the use of the word "us."  She couldn't read the expression in the reflective eyes affixed upon her. 

 

"Does it seem the others wish you harm?" Amaris asked, bringing Lyra back out of her thoughts.  Amaris's eyes had returned to trying to dissect her.

 

"I don't think any of them pay enough mind to wish me anything."  The odd incident from earlier came to mind for a moment, but Lyra didn't feel it was worth mentioning. It was an isolated incident, which made it irrelevant to the intentions of anyone else, and nothing had even happened.  "Why do you ask?"

 

"No reason."  The position in which Amaris sat became more relaxed- Lyra hadn't noticed there was any tension until she stretched and lounged comfortably.  "I have a feeling you won't have to worry about other humans."  Her eyes glinted mischievously.

 

Amaris slowly rose to her feet, and paced away from the door.  Lyra let out the breath she was holding.  Amaris noted the shift in her expression.  "There's no need to look at me like a lamb spared the slaughter.  It was only my intention to speak with you." 

 

"I'm sorry," Lyra's voice cracked as she bowed in a panic.  She worried she'd offended Amaris with her fear.  Amaris laughed.

 

"Careful," her eyes twinkled playfully, "If you keep squeaking and frantically bowing every time you're flustered, I might have to keep you on your toes just for the entertainment.  I've toyed with you enough for now, however.  Go bother some humans for me..." She grinned at Lyra as she spoke, but a curious look crossed her face when the sentence trailed off.  "I never asked for your name."  Lyra swore she almost saw the shadow of guilt flash across her eyes. 

 

"Lyra," she said timidly.

 

"A lovely name," Amaris said as she spread her wings, "My apologies for allowing you to use mine for so long without returning the favor, Lyra."  The wind ripped at Lyra's dress, but left her on her feet as Amaris took off.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 

****

Lyra left the cell as if wading along the bottom of the ocean.  The residual pounding of her heart offered a chaotic beat to the syllables of her disjointed thoughts as they tried to come together on a theory.  Amaris hadn't harmed her since their first encounter.  She'd tried to make her laugh.  She asked how she was treated.  She certainly seemed to enjoy making Lyra squirm, but she had yet to resemble the monster Lyra met on her first day. 

 

Lyra's stomach turned.  She grit her teeth.  If she had believed it would help, she would have punched her own chest.  She was beginning to feel she might actually be an exception to the fate her position guaranteed.  That wouldn't do.  Lyra knew better than to imagine herself as exceptional through any eyes.  It was the most reliable way in which Lyra routinely broke her own heart. 

 

She certainly wasn't going to start up that old habit again now.  Every interpretation of her conversations with Amaris which led to conclusions of her actually mattering were foolishly optimistic.  She didn't even matter to other humans; she couldn't possibly matter to a dragon. 

 

Lyra groaned as this was difficult to reconcile with her experiences.  She refused to be fooled by the light filtering down from above.  Intense as the weight upon her was, she knew if she were to try to swim, she would only find a layer of ice trapping her beneath the surface.  Everything she'd called hope in her efforts would ferment to despair; the most agonized souls in hell are those who thought they would see heaven. 

 

When she failed once more to make sense of Amaris's behavior without floating toward the surface and having to drag herself back, Lyra  decided to distract herself from one conundrum with another; she was exhausted.  She needed somewhere to nap, especially if she was to be wide awake at three.  She certainly wasn't going to sleep during the day in front of Amaris; such a thing could be interpreted as not taking her duties seriously. 

 

Lyra absently drifted to the kitchen.  She grabbed a large loaf of bread and pulled the tablecloth off the table, snatching a cooking timer out of a chef's hand.  He glanced at his oil-stained clothes and did not protest.  Lyra set up in the corner of the kitchen, using the bread as a pillow and setting the timer before curling up under the tablecloth as the chefs just gawked at the scene.   Lyra fell asleep quickly, wanting to cry when the timer went off and she groggily climbed to her feet. 

 

A guard in plainclothes sat at the table, staring blankly at her while eating a bowl of oatmeal.  She wiped drool off her face.  "What?" She demanded.  He looked away.  "That's what I thought."  Lyra tossed the bread she'd used as a pillow on top of his bowl before returning to her duties.

 

When Lyra brought the loaded cart into Amaris's cell, she was stunned to see Amaris sleeping by the entrance.  "Leave it.  I am not ready to be woken," she muttered at the sound of Lyra's footsteps, "I wish to be well-rested.  I look forward to the early morning."  She shifted slightly and fell silent once more.  Lyra obliged quietly as she could, shaking slightly. 

 

This was the last meal she was sure she would walk away from.  Amaris was certainly looking forward to the next meal.  Unease threatened to knock her off her feet as she wondered what horrible things Amaris could intend for her.  Her previous inclination to feel any optimism was effectively banished by now.  Amaris saw her as a mouse, and was batting her around like a bored cat.  The time was drawing near to go for the kill. 

 

By the time Lyra returned to the kitchen again, enough time had passed since she'd gorged herself at breakfast that she was hungry again.  Lyra entered as the chefs finished up preparing dinner for the servants, giving dismayed glances at her back as she immediately began making a mess. 

 

Lyra began scrambling eggs while the chefs left.  A few servants arrived to scrub the surfaces clean.  They glared at the spread of cookware and food across the surfaces.  Although the majority of it was left from the chefs, the look in their eyes placed the entirety of it on Lyra.  "I'll be out of your way soon," Lyra muttered.

 

"Not soon enough," one scoffed quietly to the other as they left, "I can't believe we're just letting her be a menace until that thing eats her." 

 

Lyra scowled.  Now that she hated the specific person in charge of cleaning it up, she decided to leave the mess out when she was done.  She hardly had an hour without antagonization before she recognized the captain who had retrieved the hollow guard earlier sauntering into the kitchen.  "Something smells amazing..." he glanced at the table Lyra had begun to pile with food.

 

"Ooh, making a feast?  Need any help eating this delicious bounty?" He asked excitedly.  Lyra didn't like the familiarity in his tone, given how rude he was the last time she saw him; he hadn't earned the right to speak to her as if they were friends.

 

"No," Lyra said flatly, without looking up from the vegetables she chopped.

 

"Cold.  Whatever I have done to anger such a fair maiden, I am truly so—"

 

"Fair?  I thought you called me interesting when you sized me up like cattle.  Just because you refused to acknowledge me didn't make me deaf."  Lyra gave him the same loathsome look as she did before, hoping it would jog his memory so he would leave. 

 

"Allow me to start over. Truth be told, you're rather bewitching.  I like a strong woman..."  His eyes moved over Lyra in a way which made her cross her arms over her breasts to press them flat as she could against her chest. 

 

"Nope," Lyra snapped.  She turned away.  If he was going to be weird about it she just wasn't going to look at him at all.  Already the absence of his face from her vision soothed her slightly.

 

"So I made one subpar comment and you'll give me no chance with you?"  The captain demanded, "I'll have you know women fawn over me.  I can have my pick of them all and tonight I've chosen you."

 

"Gross.  Pick someone else."

 

"Gross?  I am the captain of the royal guard!  You should be grateful I would waste my time on a peasant like you!"

 

"So we agree this is a waste of time, and you should stop talking to me."

 

"You should quit being so combative and realize what an opportunity you're passing up!"

 

"What part of this is supposed to be winning me over?  Because I'm hating you more with every syllable."

 

"What if I could get you released?" The captain said with a smirk as it caught Lyra's attention.  She turned slowly to stare for a moment. 

 

"Are you actually able to do that?"

 

"I'm sure I could get strings pulled for my mistress."

 

Lyra gagged.  "Oh, so I have to sleep with you if I wanna be saved from the dragon.  Wow.  Fuck off, you absolute piece of filth."  She said it with a smile on her lips and murder in her eyes.

 

"I offer you freedom, a night of passion, and you call me filth?  Are you stupid?  Do you want to be eaten by a dragon?"

 

"I'm not stupid, so I know your little stunt here goes one of three ways, the most likely being everything that comes out of your mouth is a lie crafted to get me to sleep with you, and you fully intend to let me die.  The second is  ok

that you intend to release me, you have your fun, your superiors tell you I can't be released, and you just kinda shrug and let me die.  The third is that you actually can release me, and you're completely content to just let me die if I don't obey you.  To be honest, I think I hate the third the most.  If you truly could save my life but won't unless you get something out of it, you're the type of filth I'd rather die than touch." 

 

"Would life truly be so horrible as the spoiled mistress of an accomplished, celebrated, noble and brave captain of the guard?"

 

"Only if he talks in third person to brag about himself," Lyra said.

 

"Well at least let me sample some of this delicious food you've prepared," the captain said.  He pulled out a chair in front of a plate piled high with eggs.  Lyra scowled.  He intended to plant himself there and continue jabbering away until Lyra became too tired to argue and simply entertained him.  Lyra made sharp eye contact as she slowly pushed the plate off the table, allowing it to shatter at his feet.

 

"What do you mean delicious?  It's full of glass and dirt," Lyra said as she glanced down at the mess on the floor, "Although if you ate it in this state I'm sure that would be ideal for everyone else." 

 

"I offer you kindness, to save your life, even, on what may be your final day and you—"

 

"Yeah, I don't need a recap."

 

"Why are you being such a bitch?"

 

"I was about as pleasant as I get the first time I rejected you.  You're the one who kept bothering me.  If you don't like my attitude, blame yourself.  And by the way, I'm only insulted you called me a bitch because I was aiming for fucking nightmare."

 

"You'll regret having such a mouth," the captain said with a scowl.  Lyra knocked over the glass of punch in front of him so the bright red liquid ran over his groin.  He exclaimed at the sight of something that looked vaguely like menstruation and scurried off to remove the offending article from his manly body.

 

"Captain's on the rag!" She heard a voice boom to uproarious laughs after he left.  Lyra rolled her eyes; it was a pathetic thing to laugh over.  Still, any laughter at that man's expense was laughter she'd welcome, and she relished the sound. 

 

Hours passed and at midnight, Lyra was sealed off in this portion of the castle alone.  Once she had privacy, Lyra made quick work of clearing some counter space and began flipping through a small notebook of recipes. 

 

Following the recipe exactly, Lyra began to prepare the cake.  She gave herself as much time as possible to do so, which she was thankful for.  Some idiot had left the salt in a large unmarked container that made it look a lot like sugar to another idiot.  This was not noticed until the first monstrosity left the oven, cooled, and was sampled.  Lyra tossed the failed attempt into the garbage and started over, tasting the sugar to confirm it was sugar before using it this time. 

 

Once the cake was in the oven, Lyra set about the easiest part of the task, which was simply retrieving two carts and duplicating the chicken to fill one. She retrieved the carts from downstairs, relieved to learn the enchantment upon them made the task simple.  She then took a chicken from the icebox, and set it on the counter.  It had been beheaded and plucked, but not broken down further, and dripped blood.  Lyra knew this was what Amaris requested, but if this meal was supposed to be something Amaris had waited thousands of years for, it seemed offensively plain. 

 

Lyra glanced at the clock.  She wasn't much of a baker, so she could only hope to make a cake as good as the recipe she had in front of her.  She always preferred to cook savory things, and considered herself at least good, if not great at it.  Deciding she had time before the cake was ready to frost and be duplicated anyway, Lyra began to prowl the spice cabinets.  She selected an enticing-smelling oil, and some spices.  She mixed together a mouthwatering seasoning mix.

 

Careful to coat it evenly, Lyra glazed the chicken with a thin coat of the oil before evenly applying the spices.  Once she was satisfied the chicken had been seasoned nicely, she duplicated it, gawking at the sheer number of chickens which piled upon the cart.  As she examined them, she wished Amaris hadn't specified that they be bloody.  This was as much as she could doctor raw chicken, but she could make them exquisite given the proper time in the oven.  She never was a fan of presenting anything she wasn't certain had met its full potential, but this was what was requested.

 

Lyra's skin crawled out of nowhere.  She glanced around.  All alone. No reason to fear, yet something felt wrong.  As if something lurked.  It wasn't unlike when she brought Amaris her first meal. 

 

Lyra heard the massive doors unlock, and slowly creak open.  Dread filled her, coming from a deep instinctual well of panic.  "Hey fucking nightmare, you still down here?" The captain's voice demanded of the empty halls.  Lyra immediately became aware of how alone she was.  She grabbed a carving knife, hiding it behind her back.  It wouldn't stand up against armor, but the element of surprise could allow her to exploit the narrow gap between his helmet and shoulder. 

 

Footsteps approached.  "I'm not giving up on you.  I thought we could spend some time alone," he told the emptiness.  Lyra took a step to move to a portion of the kitchen which would allow herself more mobility and make her position less obvious upon entry as fire burned her throat. She was condemned to death at the hands of a dragon already.  It wasn't getting any worse. 

 

Lyra's hip slammed into the counter.  "You in the kitchen?" The captain's voice pried at the sound.  The footsteps moved closer.  Lyra paused, ready to strike without showing it.  The door to the kitchen was kicked open and the captain sauntered in.  Lyra's face paled.  He already had his sword drawn; unfortunately more guarded than Lyra anticipated.  She supposed the silence of voices and clatter of motion was suspicious.  "Oh.  Hey," The captain smiled in a way that was supposed to be alluring.  Lyra almost retched.  "Waiting for me?"

 

Lyra affixed an intimidating glare to her face.  "Fuck off."

 

"There's that mouth again.  So it's just us, then?"  He closed the door.  Lyra intensified the loathing in her stare.  She didn't respond.  She was calculating her attack.  He wasn't wearing his armor.  His sword had been held loftily by his side since he recognized her; she wasn't perceived as a threat.  That would be the mistake which ended him.  The flames rose to her mouth as she grit her teeth.  "What, no protests?  Wonderful."  Lyra hated the sound of his voice. 

 

"I said fuck off," Lyra hissed.  The captain raised an eyebrow. 

 

"That's rude, seeing as I've just caught you stealing an insane amount of food," he gestured with the sword to the cart of chickens which was still filling, "Maybe I ought to punish—"

 

Lyra's jaw dropped.  The captain had stopped so suddenly it was if a flame was blown out.  His eyes were blank.  His sword clattered to the floor with cacophony that could not thwart his silence as his arms flopped to his sides.  He muttered something under his breath.  Lyra knew it was the same utterance as the hollow guard before, but now the sound was not concealed by white noise.  It was clear as when Amaris spoke it with glowing eyes. 

 

Lyra didn't have much time to gawk or wonder before he quickly turned around and walked out of the kitchen. The captain seemed to be in the same trance as the hollow guard.  Come to think of it, she hadn't seen the hollow guard around since his trance.  Curious, Lyra brought the carving knife with her, grabbing the discarded sword in her other hand as she followed the captain from a cautious distance.

 

He was off-balance as he walked, staring blankly ahead without emotion, taking no heed of Lyra as she followed.  "Where are you going?" She asked.

 

"I have to go to her."  He didn't so much as glance back as he spoke.  He turned and walked in the direction of Amaris's cell.  It looked like he should have fallen over, the way his balance shifted as he turned.  It was as if strings held him up, his feet touching the ground only for visual effect.  The way he descended the stairs was deeply unsettling to witness.

 

"Stop right there," Lyra said, wondering if this trance would allow her to boss him around as he'd bossed the hollow guard around, "And go... dunk your head in the toilet first." For a moment she wished she'd had more time to think of a more humiliating command, but knew deep down she would have settled upon the same command given weeks to mull it over. 

 

"Disobedience toward you will not arise suspicion," the captain said as he paced for the door to Amaris's cell. Lyra frowned for a moment, her heart having risen at the spectacle she hoped to witness.  She hid against the wall beside the doors as the captain pulled them open, peering into the cell as he strode in.

 

"You're not Lyra," Amaris's voice hissed from the darkness, then roared, "Where is she?"  The rage left sparks in the air, "I won't accept any replacements.  Send her back or I'll eat every human on sight from now on! Is your death row even long enough to sustain feeding me three humans a day?"  Her voice was a growl, but wavered with uncertainty that her threat carried adequate gravity. 

 

Amaris did not step out of the shadows.  She banished them as her entire body ignited in brilliant flames, bathing the cell in searing blue light.  The growl she released was more terrifying than when she had attacked Lyra.  It was far more vicious, threatening not only to kill, but in the worst ways possible.  "Why do you not fetch her immediately?" Amaris roared, the pitch rising, "What have you done with her?" 

 

There was a long pause in which Amaris awaited a response, and the captain just stared blankly.  Amaris finally seemed able to pull her focus from her rage, to noting the captain's expression.  "Oh... I see. Your're not here to herald her absence... She will be back soon..." Amaris looked about as relieved now as she was angry earlier, her tone softening.  The fire covering her body disappeared.

 

Her calm expression didn't last long; she only took a moment to think of this before she turned her gaze back to the captain.  Her eyes filled with loathing the moment they settled upon him.  "What did you intend to do to her?" Amaris growled, prowling toward him with bared teeth.  Her mouth glowed as fire burned in her throat.  Flames began to escape her jaws with every breath.  The captain was too hollow to respond to the death which approached.  He just stared blankly, and obediently opened his mouth to answer in a monotone, "I intended to r—" Amaris's teeth pierced his torso from either side and the crunching of his ribs punctuated his words.  Amaris swallowed, and with a flick of her tail the doors to her cell slammed shut. 

 

Lyra was frozen in place for a moment, mind reeling, room spinning.  She started hurrying back to the kitchen.  She wasn't sure of anything right now, other than the concrete.  She was asked for chickens and cake.  She was going to bring back chickens and cake.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 

While Lyra looked directly at the cake as she frosted it, she hardly saw it.  She wasn't used to anyone even noticing when she left a room, much less bursting into flame at the idea of her not coming back.  She meant a lot to Amaris. She wasn't sure what that meant for her.

 

The walls let their shadows fall heavily across Lyra as she struggled for rational thought without a compass, anxiety slamming hard against the unknown to create a clumsy symphony of worst fears.  Amaris could simply view her as a possession, a plaything she doesn't want taken away.  Or she might simply be angry to have prey she'd set her sights on rescued from her claws.

 

As she duplicated the cake, a set of words came to Lyra's mind.  "I won't accept any replacements."  A shiver ran down her spine at being singled out by such a terrifying being.  It felt as if one of Amaris's claws was always curled around her.  Still, a tiny spark of optimism ignited.  If other humans wouldn't suffice, did Amaris intend for Lyra to live indefinitely?  Such a thought sounded too absurd to fully consider. 

 

Lyra pulled both carts to the door of the cell, and paused.  Nerves vibrated through her.  Something about her, or something she was doing, had captured Amaris's attention.  Not knowing what it was, what sort of interest Amaris took, agonized Lyra; if she knew what Amaris desired from her, she could edit herself to be the epitome of it.

 

As Lyra pushed the door open and stepped into the cell, she felt as if she walked on stage to perform lines she read out of order in the dark years ago. 

 

Amaris crashed down on top of her, devouring the cake along with the cart in a few bites as if unable to stop herself.  She quickly scooped Lyra up in her talons, holding her against her chest with one massive hand.  Lyra let out a startled squeal, as she didn't realize Amaris was there until she was captured. 

 

Amaris snickered.  "You are far too amusing when startled."  She paused for a moment to examine the rest of Lyra's offerings.  "This smells heavenly... You took the time to season these for me?  How naughty of you to waste the good oils and spices on the dragon...  How thoughtful..." she felt Amaris's grip gently tighten on her for a moment.  Amaris's voice was silken, pleased. 

 

Amaris picked the cart of chickens up in her other set of talons as she took flight, the wind more thoroughly shielding Lyra than before.  She landed in the same room she had taken Lyra to earlier.  Amaris placed Lyra gently on the furs and immediately turned her attention to the cart full of chickens.  She tossed several in her mouth like popcorn.  "Heavenly," She sighed, "Fresh meat, even prepared as if you don't view me as a wild animal."  Their eyes met.  Lyra's breathing halted for a moment.

 

Typically the liquid pools of platinum were illegible, the language of Amaris's emotions written across moving currents.  Lyra recognized something immediately in this glance, as it was something she hadn't seen in a pair of eyes directed at her in far too long.  Warmth.  Amaris's voice was powerful as always, but a scratch had made its way across her tone; Lyra's gesture had meant more than either of them expected it to. 

 

Lyra supposed the emotion which caused Amaris's voice to scrape against her throat was the same Lyra felt now.  It wasn't the appearance of a void, but the recognition of one.  Somehow it was fine until it was noticed; Lyra didn't realize how much of an emotional toll such a time without a single warm glance had taken until now.  Lyra turned her face away before tears could gloss over her eyes.

 

As Amaris continued to take her time eating, making satisfied noises every so often, Lyra tried to resist laying back on the furs to rest.  It was a laborious effort; keeping her head up was becoming strenuous.  She wondered if she could ask Amaris to bring her back to her own cell to sleep, and decided against it.  Asking her for favors would be too far.  She wasn't in the clear yet, as far as she could tell.  She'd never really be in the clear; she knew Amaris's satisfaction with her would have to be constantly maintained if she wished to survive. 

 

"Did the other humans bother you as you were preparing this for me?" Amaris asked after a moment. 

 

Lyra's breath caught in her throat and she looked nervously at Amaris.  By the time Amaris had turned from her meal to examine Lyra's expression, she had pasted  a calm look upon her face. Lyra wasn't willing to let on she knew about the spell; Amaris had seemed interested in keeping it from her when she cast it.  "No, I didn't notice anyone," she lied. "Why do you ask?" She cautiously added.

 

"No reason," Amaris's voice had grown even softer, soothed.  Lyra's eyes widened at the quick glance Amaris gave her before finishing the last of the chickens.  She was relieved.  She had been worried. 

 

A strange feeling welled up in Lyra which she quickly buried.  She couldn't let herself be bewitched by how Amaris seemed to care for her.  Amaris could not possibly care for a human like her in a way that warranted an emotional attachment on her part.  She didn't need her feelings hurt with her body when Amaris inevitably grew bored of her. 

 

She glanced somberly at Amaris as if to try to gauge exactly how long that would take, and looked away quickly when Amaris's eyes would have met hers.  She felt Amaris's eyes upon her as she heard her approach.  "Poor thing, you're exhausted," Amaris murmured, and Lyra sat up straight, lashing herself for appearing too relaxed. 

 

Amaris sauntered onto the furs, and slowly lowered herself to curl around Lyra like a cat, the scales of her stomach pressing softly against her back. Amaris rested her head on a hand, her face turned slightly toward Lyra. "Comfortable?" She asked. 

 

Lyra's eyes widened as she silently nodded.  The furs she sat upon were soft and plush.  She leaned cautiously against Amaris's stomach, the scales of which felt oddly soft to the touch, although this was impossible to discern visually.  The cell was cold as the night air, but Amaris radiated heat. 

 

Amaris was looking down at Lyra as if she might say something.  Lyra began to find it difficult to stay awake, but she didn't want to risk angering her by falling asleep before she had a chance to speak.  Amaris watched her quietly struggle for a moment.  She smiled softly.  "Rest.  There will be time to speak; we have nothing but time."  As if to prove her sincerity, Amaris closed her eyes as well.  Lyra gawked, but her exhaustion quickly won over her shock, and she was dead asleep in minutes.

 

Amaris was flying over a vast and beautiful land, the sea of emerald life pebbled with its sapphire sources.  Elegant human cities were carved into the terrain, brilliant spots of white brick and black cobblestone in sharp geometric forms providing stark contrast to the wilderness.  To human eyes the distance would blur the details, but Amaris could see every ant crawling amongst the grass; everywhere her gaze fell was bursting with life.  The symphony and scents surrounded her.  The sunlight scattered across her scales, making her nearly impossible to see against the blue agate sky.

 

The kingdom she flew over was new to her, although the king directed her to the capital as if he was familiar with the place.  "Descend here," the king commanded.  Amaris landed begrudgingly in an open field and soberly affixed her eyes on the city before them.  It was huge, its intricate architecture showcasing the pride and labor that went into the city's creation.  "Allow me to dismount."  Amaris obediently lowered her neck, a look of disgust on her face at having let such a horrid thing touch her. 

 

As the king slid down the side of her neck, she moved it.  He fell on his back and slammed his head on the ground.  Amaris let out a hiss of a laugh as she scowled at him.  She was banned from attacking him by his first command, but she still found her own little ways to rebel.  "From now on you will be perfectly still when I dismount," the king said with a smug look at Amaris as the white stone which hung around his neck glowed against his skin.  He got to his feet unharmed, brushing dirt off himself.  Amaris growled.  One by one her methods of rebelling were taken from her. 

 

The king turned his gaze to the city, gleeful.  Amaris morbidly wondered who the king was going to command her to drag back here kicking and screaming this time, before commanding her to tear them to pieces.  Her stomach churned.  Amaris would have no issue inflicting the horrors she was now accustomed to on the king, but he was the only living thing she could imagine ever deserving such brutality. 

 

"Level that city," The king commanded her.

 

Amaris's eyes widened with horror.  As her body began to move without her consent, she attempted to calculate the loss of life she was just tasked with.  The labyrinth of buildings before her became endless, and none could believably host only one soul.  Her heart thundered and she began to tremble as she walked.  She couldn't allow this.  She couldn't stop it.  She moved slowly as possible to buy herself time as she prowled toward the city. 

 

A desperate idea occurred to her.  Amaris roared with every bit of volume and ferocity she could muster before throwing a massive fireball in the air above the city.  At the sky ignited and the roar trembling through the land, a chorus of human panic began to arise from the city.  Amaris pretended not to look pleased with herself, or aware at all, as she sensed the movements of the humans evacuating.  At this rate, the first buildings she encountered would already be empty.

 

Her heart began to leap; she was giddy to have found a loophole.  She could level the city without killing a soul; the humans simply needed time to flee.  As predicted, the streets were empty upon arrival.  Amaris took joy in smashing the hollow shelters, taking her rage out on inanimate stone.  She meticulously made each building dust before moving to the next. 

 

As slowly as she went, not all the humans were quick enough.  Amaris tried to stop herself with every fiber of her being.  Her movement would only slow a little, and the pace she could not dip below began to claim life along with the objects she destroyed. 

 

Tears welled up in her eyes at the desperate shrieks for mercy.  A human voice asked what they had done to anger her as she silenced it.  She closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face.  Her body did not relent until silence surrounded her.  "Come back to me," the king's voice was always a mosquito in her ear no matter the distance between them. 

 

Amaris glanced solemnly at the moon visible in the daylight; her moon.  She was the soul that was born from its creation, and her power came from the gravitational waltz between the celestial bodies which lifted the ocean.  She was it, it was her.  To think a piece of herself was so easily used against her, that a piece of enchanted moon rock was what made such a vile voice inescapable.  She couldn't help but feel betrayed.  She spread her wings and took flight, eager at least to leave the scene of her greatest atrocity. 

 

As Amaris landed, her stomach churned, but she tried to console herself by thinking of how many humans had escaped, how she had killed very few compared to what she was asked, how that would have to be victory enough, as it was all that could be done. 

 

"It seems you've let most of them escape," the king said.  He turned to look Amaris in the eyes.  Wicked glee filled his as dread filled hers.  "Hunt down, trap, and eat every last one of them."

 

Amaris's wings were spread before she could complain.  The command was specific this time.  She couldn't think of a way around it.  Screams erupted as her shadow crossed her targets.  Amaris poured flames upon the earth, making a moat of molten ore around them.  Her claws tore into the ground as she landed.

 

Tears poured from Amaris's eyes as she watched the petrified humans cling to their loved ones with panic on their faces.  Trembling human voices consoled choruses of tiny sobs that it would all be ok.  Other voices carried an echo to the humans around them.  "I love you."  Amaris couldn't bear to look as she carried out her orders.  The sound of each voice cracked through Amaris's scales, and she fell apart as she silenced each heartbeat.

 

Once her orders were fulfilled Amaris collapsed where she was.  She couldn't will herself to move.  She couldn't bring herself to open her eyes.  She could think of nothing beside the evil act she had just committed.  The lives she had just taken.  She held no grudge against these humans.  She never would have imagined doing something so evil.  Yet it happened.  Regardless of what Amaris wanted, it happened.  The city was destroyed.  The people were all dead. It happened.

 

Amaris's typically sharp hearing failed to catch the smug approach of the king, as she was far too lost in the sheer horror of it all.  "That was marvelous.  You're quite a spectacular creature."

 

Amaris's eyes widened with loathing she had never been capable of before.  To gaze upon such a vile sight and shower such praise could only be possible without a soul; Amaris never imagined a creature could be so foul. "Such raw power... the world will bow before me and my monster."  Flames appeared on Amaris's breath.  She may have been the beast with the power to carry them out, but she never would have imagined such atrocities before the king ordered them.  Anyone else in the world could have been right in calling her a monster; she clearly was.  But the king had no right to call her a monster, when he was the only creature on this planet worse than her. 

 

Amaris barely suppressed a scream which would have woken Lyra, tightening her grip upon a string of thoughts she pulled at constantly.  That man was gone.  Those experiences were over with.  She turned her attention to Lyra, the company the only thing preventing her from breaking down.  She focused on her intensely, forcing the dream out of her mind as she refused to think of anything else. 

 

She was in awe for a moment as she compared their bodies. Lyra was so small, a peaceful expression upon her gentle face.  She looked far too precious to be allowed within miles of such a horror as Amaris.  Amaris's body was curled ferociously around her, as if to defend her treasure from a threat that wasn't even present.  Her scales were each like slices of diamond in their durability, fire raging beneath them.  Every one of her senses and every one of her features was specifically fine-tuned to track, hunt, devour the prey which rested so peacefully against her.  She was the destroyer of precious things, yet someone precious trusted her enough to sleep in her presence.

 

Amaris's heart twisted as she thought of their meeting, of what she had been expected to do, what she almost did without thought.  Even after thousands of years without such orders, Amaris was still used by the humans as their killing machine.  All they had to do was let her rage fester, then send the target through a door. 

 

Amaris suppressed a growl that would have left the room trembling from sheer spite.  She would not be their executioner any longer.  She'd protect Lyra from the humans who wished her dead.  Even if all other light died out, Lyra would be the lone pinprick of light amongst the void, guarded eternally by the monster tasked with executing her.  Amaris slowly drifted back to sleep, lulled by the soft beats of Lyra's heart and the soothing cadence of her breaths. 

 

Lyra was jerked from her slumber by a rumbling growl, and froze. Glancing frantically up at Amaris, she was stunned to see her eyes closed, the growling continuing regardless.  After a moment of listening, Lyra recognized the cadence; Amaris was purring.  Lyra was astonished to learn dragons did such a thing.  After a short while it became white noise, and Lyra was asleep before she realized she was trying to drift off again.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 

It was the sunrise which woke Lyra in its final stages.  For a moment she was drowsy, everything fogged by the warmth of the body against her and the softness of the furs beneath her.  She'd fallen to the side in her sleep, and laid with her back pressed against the slumbering dragon.  Her heart lurched as she snapped awake; if she didn't move soon, breakfast would be late. 

 

Clambering to her feet against the daze of recent sleep, Lyra wondered if she could make it to the meat locker and back before Amaris grew impatient.  Even when only humans were involved, Lyra had learned never to assume security.  The ground always shifted beneath one's feet if they felt it or not, and any day it could send tremors through their skeleton, shattering it with one tectonic shiver.  It was wise to always tread lightly, to maintain a stance that can shift balance in response to the movements of the Earth.

 

The most Lyra could do to preserve her life was continue to perform her duties better than a replacement would; she would do so religiously.  Peering cautiously at Amaris to confirm she was still asleep, she began to walk toward what she presumed to be the entrance of the cell. 

 

It was only a matter of seconds before Amaris seemed to notice her absence, and partially opened one gleaming silver eye.  "Stay..." Amaris purred, and gently wrapped her tail around Lyra's waist, placing her back beside her.

 

"Your breakfast will be late if—" Lyra began.

 

"Your replacement will bring it," Amaris cut her off. 

 

Lyra's face turned white.  She was silent for a moment as dread filled her along with the stupidity she had tried so hard to avoid feeling.  Amaris wished for a replacement after all; it was time to die. Lyra felt she should have known better than to consider surviving past two days.  She winced and closed her eyes, awaiting Amaris's strike.

 

"Hey."  Lyra felt Amaris's tail brush against her cheek, causing her to look up.  She was stunned not to see a hint of malice in the dragon's eyes. "I didn't mean it like that.  Someone else can bring food while you rest," Amaris reassured.  Examining Lyra's unchanged expression, she added, "I won't eat them, either.  Rest.  You've barely slept."

 

Lyra was far too awake now to fall back asleep.  "What do you want with me?" Lyra's voice shook with the question she'd been too afraid to ask.  Amaris's eyes fell upon Lyra far too attentively, as if trying to see through her again.  Lyra averted her eyes to the floor.

 

"You believe I'm going to eat you eventually, that I'm simply toying with you now."

 

"Yes," Lyra said quietly, afraid to look up.

 

"Why?"

 

"I don't understand what else you could want from me."

 

Amaris laughed.  The sound was airy, soft.  The contrast to her expectations caused Lyra to look up.  Amaris's eyes were warm.  "You don't?  You're the only human to show me compassion since... before I was imprisoned."  Sparks flew as she ground her teeth and turned to scowl at the emptiness during the last word.  Lyra was terrified for a moment by her expression, her eyes ignited with a molten rage which threatened to burn all it touched as she scowled into the distance.  It was fleeting, as Amaris quickly brought her thoughts away from the source of her rage.  Her expression softened again as she looked back at Lyra.  "I decided to spare you when you apologized.  I haven't meant harm since."

 

"Then why did you threaten to eat me several times after?"  Lyra blurted out before she could decide her situation was too precarious to do so, and immediately froze in panic.  Amaris smirked.

 

"You're entertaining when flustered.  It's tempting to tease a little.  I also wasn't yet willing to let a human know I placed any value on them, after spending so many years loathing them all.  Pride can be rather difficult for a dragon to manage."

 

"What changed?"

 

"At first I thought you were simply trying to be kind.  Then I realized you weren't trying to be kind at all.  You simply saw me as a person; treating me as such came naturally to you.  I have never been more than a monster to humans. I have never even had a name to them.  As for your original question, I limit what I ask of you to what I plan to offer you; companionship.  We serve the same sentence in the same cell.  I see no reason for solitude."

 

Lyra's mouth was open but she wasn't aware of it as she gawked into Amaris's warm silver eyes.  Amaris was looking at her as if eyeing a hoard of jewels.  For a moment Lyra wondered if they had both been free, would Amaris have darkened the sky above her one day and swept her off to her lair to keep amongst her treasure?  She wondered if that fate would be so different from this one.

 

Lyra tried to imagine what sort of life she could expect sharing a prison cell with a dragon.  It could be awful.  In a million ways Amaris could make every moment agony; sparing Lyra could become the act of violence.  Even as such morbid thoughts crossed her mind, Lyra, unable to move her eyes from Amaris's, didn't feel they were reasonable yet.  The way she looked at Lyra was too full of care to intend such things for now.

 

The ground still felt unstable, however.  Lyra found herself wishing she was still expected to perform her duties, as her original plan to outperform any prospective replacements would have given Amaris a more stable reason to spare her. 

 

The wave of anxiety was disrupted by Amaris's voice, "I noticed you don't have access to all of the accommodations a human needs," Amaris said, "I'm going to show you a place no human has seen in thousands of years.  First, though," her expression took on a hint of bitterness, then dedication, "I'm going to do something I vowed never to do again."

 

A light grew within Amaris's eyes, growing brighter as her scales seemed to reflect all the light the morning sun could create.  A halo of blue flame surrounded her, and vanished.  The light was intense enough that Lyra regretted watching.  The image was suspended against her eyelids and eclipsed everything before her.  She blinked relentlessly, keeping her gaze affixed where Amaris's eyes had been until her vision returned.  She was stunned to see only the cell.  Movement caught Lyra's attention and her eyes darted to the ground where Amaris stood, a circle of scorch marks surrounding her. 

 

Lyra's voice evaded her as she stared.  Even if she had expected Amaris to be capable of taking human form, she would have never imagined she could be so breathtaking.  There was an innate wilderness to her appearance, her body alluding to both power and grace; she was a head taller than Lyra in this form, with powerful muscle over a curvaceous frame.  She wore an odd white dress which seemed to be molded to her, with the exception of sheer fabric hanging from her hips to dance in the faint breeze. 

 

Amaris had kept a few aspects of her dragon form.  Her skin was the same rich silver her scales had been, with a faintly iridescent quality to it.  The markings upon her scales were elegant white tattoos in this form, dutifully aligning themselves with the curves and lines of her features.  The markings had an almost reflective quality, celebrating the light which danced across her luminous skin.  Tousled strands of glistening white hair dripped to her chin around a set of horns.  Her platinum eyes were large with an elegant shape, framed by lashes darker than the night.

 

Amaris looked down at her hands with a grimace of a smile.  "I loathed humans so much I considered myself defiled in their image," she said, "I still won't look entirely human, but for your sake I am willing to compromise."

 

Amaris turned her attention back to Lyra to gauge her response, and almost failed to stifle a laugh.  A dragon's form was always considered attractive by the species they mimicked; it was a hunting tool, meant to draw prey in.  Amaris was still surprised by its effectiveness, even when taking so many liberties with this form.  Lyra's eyes hung around her like a moth drawn to flame, far calmer than they had ever fallen upon Amaris before, almost in a trance.  Amaris found it pleasantly odd that a skill with such cruel intention would have use for peaceful interactions as well. 

 

"I take it this form is pleasing?" Amaris teased as Lyra snapped out of her vacant stare, embarrassed.  Amaris chuckled at the flush across her cheeks.  "Follow me," she said.  The shy look on Lyra's face was replaced with curiosity as Amaris led her to the wall of the cavern, glancing over her shoulder every so often to see Lyra's expression.  It was wonderful to see something other than fear upon a face, even if the cautious look hadn't entirely disappeared from her eyes. 

 

Amaris gently tapped a knuckle against the wall, and paused to listen.  Repeating the action a few times as she moved a few meters, she placed her palm against the stone where the sound seemed to be suitable.  Fire spread from her hand, and she slowly pulled it down the wall, melting it to create an entrance to a long hallway.  Lyra glanced around the cavernous room, wondering if anything else was sealed away. 

 

With a flash of light, wings appeared from Amaris's shoulder blades.  A flick of them generated a breeze which cooled the molten ore.  They disappeared in another flash of light.  Amaris held out her palm as if to cradle the small flame which emerged from and floated just above it.  "It isn't as far as it looks," Amaris said as she stepped into the hallway, illuminating doors which lined the entire length.  As Lyra took in the details illuminated by the flame, she noticed some doors were sheared in half by the wall to the cavern, as if it had been cut into the hallway.

 

The hallway had no visible end, but they only passed a few doors before Amaris stopped outside of an especially ornate one and lit the torches on either side of it.  She attempted to gently turn the knob, but finding it was stuck, opted to rip the doorknob out entirely, then gently nudge the door open with her foot.  Lyra followed Amaris into the room, and gawked.

 

It was a relatively small room with few furnishings; a large bed piled with luxurious blankets and pillows against the wall, and an ornate dresser across from it. This was not what brought wonder to Lyra's eyes as she stared up.  The room had no ceiling, and walls which were only six feet high before they began to slant outwards to maximize the view of the sky. The morning light doused the room.  The sky was becoming a glorious blue, the last tints of amber receding.  Clouds scattered pigment across their rich plumes.  Lyra's heart twisted as she thought of how long it had been since she'd had such a marvelous view.  It was in stark contrast to the rest of the cell,  where the holes in the ceiling were so small and high up they were impossible to see.

 

"I was provided with a view of the sky in a room my dragon form wouldn't fit and ordered not to demolish the walls of it, to tempt me to abandon my dragon form without command...  I suppose he had a sick fantasy where I would want to become like him..."  The fire in her hand grew massive, engulfing her before she quickly extinguished it, shaking her hand as if to dry it before regaining her composure, "Now these quarters can finally be of use."  Lyra's face had turned white at the display.  Amaris had seemed so close to human the reminder of her true power was jarring, especially when Amaris showed no hint of exertion.

 

Amaris calmly paced to the dresser and opened it to reveal it was crammed full of dresses.  They were each as marvelous as the last, painstakingly crafted from the finest materials in glorious prints and vibrant hues, many of them with precious jewels sewn into them.  There were various levels of coverage, comfort, and formality to choose from, as if the artisan responsible was tasked with including every taste in one offering.  "They made me human clothing, thinking I'd want to wear it enough to change my body to fit.  Take your pick.  There is a bath here as well," Amaris said.

 

The word was music to Lyra's ears, enough so to distract her from anything else.  Her heart leapt; until now she only had a sink and rags to work with.  A bath sounded heavenly.  Lyra stepped forward eagerly, thrilled to abandon the rags her clothing had become.  She selected a simple dress, the material of which which was pleasant to the touch but had stretch to it as well; the sensation of restrictive fabric or seams without give was unsettling against her skin, although few others seemed to mind it so much.  The neckline and cut appeared flattering, and the color was pleasant as well.  Lyra was mildly stunned to see her preferences actually allowed her to wear something nice. 

 

Amaris watched curiously as Lyra selected a dress.  She knew very little of Lyra, which she wished to remedy through observation until Lyra was comfortable enough to talk about herself.  Her choices on even the smallest matters were of interest, as any decision Lyra made illuminated a new detail.

 

Lyra examined her hands for a brief second before touching any of the dresses, and only did so after ensuring they were clean.  Gingerly she moved them by the hangers as she examined her options, unwilling to tug at a sleeve or skirt in case it may tear.  Each offering was considered, although anything with a stiff, delicate, or otherwise restrictive material was given only a cursory glance.

 

The dress she chose was made at the desperate end of the attempts for Amaris to be tempted into human form without command, so it was one of the most finely crafted.  Silk had been dyed and altered with enchantment, so the fabric had an almost limitless amount of give, and was a rich metallic shade of gold tinted with rose.  It was by far the most comfortable option, the least restrictive of movement, Amaris noted, a practical choice.  It glistened like coveted treasure, and the cut was intended to worship any body; Lyra also had an exquisite eye. 

 

"Thank you, Amaris."  Her voice shook, but not out of fear.  Amaris smiled sadly.  Lyra had shown her such kindness, it pleased her to be able to make similar gestures.  Such gestures shouldn't be considered kind, however; they only appeared so in comparison to the misery surrounding the poor woman.  The gratitude on Lyra's face, the faint tears forming in the corners of her eyes, should not be inspired by the accommodation of basic needs.  A gesture such as this should be nothing; to most humans it would be.

 

Amaris suppressed the flames which almost escaped her lips as she thought of the luxuries the wicked enjoyed as they left only a grave for Lyra.  Amaris swept the thoughts away before they could alter her expression.  She did not want to frighten Lyra again. 

 

As she draped the dress over her arm, Lyra rubbed an eye and feigned a yawn.  It would have made the fact that her eyes were glistening appear to be a result of that if Amaris hadn't noticed earlier.  Amaris removed any hint of sorrow from her smile before Lyra turned to her, making the same effort. 

 

Amaris escorted her to the hall, and presented her with the door to a lavish washroom.  "Take your time. There is nothing to hurry for," she said.  Lyra nodded, and stepped into the washroom, closing the door silently behind her.

 

As the babble of running water and the flutter of clothing hitting the ground gently tapped against the door to the washroom, Amaris slipped away to sate her growing hunger.  She paced out of the hallway, assuming her dragon form when she had the space to do so.  She flew quickly to the entrance of the cell, and found her breakfast left by the door.  She grumbled at being fed like an animal, although she was certain Lyra would become upset if she ate a servant after saying she wouldn't, so she swallowed her pride and resolved to keep her promise. 

 

Her nose crinkled at the cart of corpses.  The replacement didn't seem to have Lyra's knack for choosing the least awful ones, but she was not about to send Lyra back out amongst those awful humans to bring back something better, and hunger had become pain by now.  As she devoured the breakfast that had been left for her, grimacing occasionally, the door to the cell opened.  Amaris glanced over curiously to see who they had condemned next. 

 

A bulky, scruffy, and terrified human froze in the doorway as her movement caught their attention.  Amaris seized them by the ankle with her tail before they could flee, lifting them to her eye level as they tried to thrash out of her grip.  She bared her fangs as she spoke.

 

"Go to the kitchen and bring back a meal fit for human royalty.  Do as I command and you will be spared for this meal," she hissed, and dropped them on the floor only gently enough not to cause injury. They let out a small groan, but had no issue clambering to their feet. 

 

While Amaris intended to keep her promise not to harm any servants, she was not about to let this human be aware of it; someone had to fetch meals for Lyra as well, and the humans only wished to harm her.  This human may return with poisoned food if they knew who it was for, or refuse the request entirely if they didn't believe they would die otherwise.

 

A look of bewilderment crossed the human's face.  They glanced at the cart and Amaris gave them a vicious look accompanied by a growl as if to punish them for such a moronic thought, "Do not let these carts anywhere near the offerings."  At this the human fled from the cell.

 

In the distance Amaris still heard the soft shuffle of water stirring as Lyra bathed, so she waited by the door, following the new human's motions as they prepared Lyra's meal.  They were frantic; Amaris wondered if she'd frightened them too much.  Her thoughts hardened as she thought of how the humans had treated Lyra. 

 

Lyra soaked in silken water with a heavenly aroma, having discovered various untouched oils and dried flowers, as well as odd but alluring powders which caused the water to fizz and shimmer, and used a small portion of everything.  A rich conditioner sat in her hair as she watched the steam rise from the water, prismatic from the luxurious contents of it. 

 

She finally had a moment to collect her thoughts, which were scattered over several shock waves.  The transition from fearing Amaris would eat her to realizing she wouldn't was enough to require some sinking in.  To add her request for companionship of all things and this new form on top of it was a bombardment.  Lyra was winded from the distance between this moment and the moment she had expected. 

 

Uncertainty was a haze around her.  The thought that all Amaris wanted was her company was frightening; of all the friends Lyra had in her life, few lingered long.  She was not an entertaining soul.  A world existed in her mind which kept her quite busy, and its residents jabbered in her ears.  The inward cacophony led to outward silence at times, as very little was translated for audience.  She disappointed a lot of people.  If all Amaris wanted was her company, it would be catastrophic for her to disappoint as usual.

 

Lyra found herself wishing she had anything else to offer.  In a million ways she could bore or upset Amaris.  Amaris hardly knew anything about her; she could grow to hate her as she learned more.  Every new detail Lyra revealed of herself was a roll of dice.  It began to only feel like a matter of time before Amaris tired of her; Lyra found herself in a purgatory between comfort and fear as she wondered how long she'd safely tread such unstable ground.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 

When Lyra finally withdrew herself from the bath, she was stunned by the effect of the water, unable to stop running her fingers along her arms and legs for a moment.  As she dried off, she realized she had no clue how to proceed once she was out of the washroom.  What did Amaris expect?  Should she burst out of the room jovially, greet her with music in her voice, or was her quiet nature what Amaris enjoyed?  Should she speak more of herself?  Her stomach dropped at that.  She had nothing impressive to say.  It could also be rude to speak of herself at length. 

 

The thought crossed her mind that she could attempt to simply get by with questions of Amaris, but it sent her into chaos wondering what she should even ask, or if Amaris might consider her behavior entitlement to more information than she was granted.  Lyra heard footsteps in the hall, a door opening and closing.  Wherever Amaris had gone, she was back.  Drying herself off quickly as possible, Lyra glanced at the dress.  It looked far too marvelous for her.  Her face paled as she wondered if the quality of the gift was proportionate to Amaris's expectations of her.

 

By the time she had towel dried her hair to the extent she could and slipped into the dress, she had agonized to the point of a potent belief that Amaris was sorely mislead.  Lyra wasn't sure how, but she had created a version of herself in Amaris's mind that could never breathe.  Her breathing became faint as she ran a comb through her hair.  Amaris would learn soon she was not so special, not worth such lavish gifts.  The realization could enrage her; she could feel lied to. 

 

She glanced at her reflection.  Aside from the dress, she hardly looked like she made an effort on her appearance.  Lyra glanced around at the bottles lining the counter. 

 

After attempting a few cosmetics she found, one the color of her skin applied over her skin to make her face one consistent tone, she immediately washed her face again.  The sensation on her skin was too unpleasant to tolerate; it was as if the odd weight upon it was trying to stiffen every feature intended to shift with her emotions.

 

She decided to make her appearance seem laborious through her hair instead.  With an incredulous look she noticed a jar of powder claiming to dry hair instantly.  Applying it proved the container correct, and her hair glimmered from it.  Deciding this was presentable, Lyra glanced nervously at the door.

 

While she was encouraged to take her time, she was terrified to keep Amaris waiting.  Stage fright quieted her voice as she stepped into the hallway, and through the door to the room Amaris had returned to. 

 

Amaris's eyes immediately fell upon her as she stepped in.  "You look marvelous."  Amaris stared as if admiring a rare jewel.

 

"Thank you, Amaris," Lyra said as she scanned Amaris's facial and bodily cues for even the most vague hint of danger.  A temporary ease fell upon her as Amaris smiled gently, but this was fragile.  Lyra was unsure if it was the ground or her knees which would begin to tremble first.

 

"I have done nothing special by having eyes," Amaris said.  The calmness in Lyra's eyes broke, and Amaris was startled to see fear.  "You have done nothing wrong to thank me," she quickly added, "I simply do not require it."

 

The calmness returned to her expression, but the scent of fear in the air marred her acting.  Amaris concealed her frown, realizing it or any other expression of discontentment would frighten her further.  While she wished Lyra understood she was safe, she could not blame her for not believing such a thing.  Amaris regretted the time between meeting her and deciding to treat her as a friend; she had shown herself to be volatile, impatient, monstrous.  It was her own actions which made the ground appear unstable, her own fault that Lyra's eyes were affixed upon her with an anxious vigilance, carefully examining her every expression and movement for signs of danger.

 

Years of destruction and loathing followed by thousands more of solitude and rage were intense barriers as Amaris racked her brain for a way to put a human at ease.  Amaris could think of no single gesture that would repair the damage of her previous behavior.  A hint of sorrow filled her eyes.  Of all the humans in the world, Lyra was the only one she did not want to feel such fear, yet Amaris herself was the source of it.  A small piece of her heart broke as she wondered if she would ever cease being a monster.  Lyra was the only human who could make her feel such a way about herself with sorrow rather than outrage. 

 

The look in her eyes frightened Lyra, who trembled as she blurted out, "I'm sorry!"  It felt like a knife in Amaris's side, twisted to leave a mortal wound.  It was clear in the frantic confusion in her eyes, the growing scent of fear, that Lyra had no idea what she was even apologizing for, but felt she had done something fatally wrong. 

 

"You have done nothing wrong.  There is no need to be so cautious," Amaris made her voice soft as possible, affixed the most saccharine look she could muster upon her face, "Your safety is not conditional.  I will never harm you."

 

Shock filled Lyra's eyes, tinged by disbelief.  Amaris hid the sadness from her reassuring smile.  The image of herself she had presented to Lyra would not be erased in words alone, and certainly not in one attempt.  It was a start, however, that in this moment Lyra was slightly calmer; Amaris knew all she could do now was consistently demonstrate the change between her past and current self, and wait for Lyra to trust at her own pace.  Even if not for the companionship, but Lyra's right to live without fear. 

 

It was clear in the way her lip trembled as her mouth hung slightly open that Lyra had been trying to think of a proper response, presumably still selecting every word after filtering it through the defenses anyone would put between themselves and the monster Amaris had been.  The sense of obligation Lyra clearly felt to appease Amaris caused gravity to intensify, the sheer force of Amaris's guilt threatening to bury her in the core of the Earth as punishment for lashing out.

 

Fear began to fill the room once more as the silence drew on, and Amaris ended it with her own voice; as expected, the obligation to speak was gone when doing so would be interrupting Amaris, and Lyra's jaw unclenched in relief.  "I have a surprise for you in this room," she said, turning her back to Lyra and moving toward the door on the back wall of the room. 

 

Amaris paced through the door and held it open for Lyra, who's stomach rumbled at the sight of the platter piled high with a breakfast fit for nobility.  Her face flushed red.  Amaris chuckled.  "I assumed as much.  I had the new servant bring this for you.  Eat to your heart's content." 

 

"Thank you, Amaris," Lyra said, cautiously taking a seat at the table.  As she ate, she began to feel a discrepancy between what she offered Amaris and what Amaris offered her; she racked her brain for a way to repay such favors before Amaris began to feel it as well.

 

From observation Amaris was unsure whether her gesture had improved or worsened Lyra's unease.  She could almost see a look of guilt in Lyra's eyes; Amaris supposed she must be more accustomed to giving than receiving.  Before she could compose something to the effect of her being happy to help as Lyra had helped her, her own stomach rumbled and a wave of unease came over her.  She clasped a hand over her mouth and barreled out of the room. 

 

The sudden exit startled Lyra, although she hardly had time to wonder if she was to blame for it before the sound of retching filled the cell.  Thankful she had already finished eating, Lyra paced for the door, "Amaris?  Are you okay?"  She peered out into the hall, but saw no sign of Amaris, the retching continuing.  "Are you sick?  Do you need medicine?" 

 

The retching stopped, followed by coughing and loud spitting before Amaris finally responded, "Breakfast was more... inedible than usual.  I am fine now."  Lyra stepped out of the hallway to see Amaris in dragon form, laying next to the channel of water right before it flowed out of the cell.  She was breathing heavily, "Do not worry; this is a common occurrence.  I will be fine."

 

Lyra felt sick herself as she thought of how delicious the food Amaris offered her was in comparison to what Amaris was given.  "If the replacement's selections are making you sick, I can always fetch your meals, I truly don't mind."

 

To her shock, Amaris roared, "NO!" her head jerking up from the ground as she quickly rose to her feet, albeit shakily. 

 

"A— are you sure?  I could even bring you food from the kitchen again," Lyra made the mistake of taking a step toward the entrance of the cell, and Amaris's eyes widened in a wild frenzy of instinct Lyra could not read as she seized Lyra in one of her claws, her grip painless but immobilizing.

 

Amaris's voice shook the entire cell, "Don't go out there!  Never go out there again!"

 

Lyra's ribs became the blades of a blender on its highest setting.  As Amaris continued, her stern tone quickly crumbled and her voice trembled.  Lyra's eyes widened and her mind emptied of all else at the sound, "They sent you here to die.  They wish you harm in every way they can inflict it.  You can't go back out among them.  It isn't safe."

 

Lyra's chest began to feel less sore; Amaris wasn't angry.  She was afraid.  Perhaps she could be consoled. "You've already put a protection spell on me.  If they try to hurt me it won't work," Lyra's tone became soft, soothing.

 

"You know of the spell's function?  I thought you didn't notice anything." 

 

"I saw it work on someone who was harassing me," Lyra answered calmly, "I didn't say anything because nothing happened.  Your spell works.  They didn't touch me."

 

"They had a chance to harass you?!" Amaris's voice shook with rage, "They were supposed to come to me for punishment the moment they decided to hurt you...  You weren't supposed to be aware of their intentions..."  After a short pause in which Amaris scowled at the ground as if the captain still burdened it, she added, "All the more reason to keep you here.  Humans can inflict wounds without touch.  I've seen it countless times," the bitterness in her tone hung like a mirror in front of her.

 

"They won't hurt me.  Their words don't bother me and they can't touch me," Lyra reassured, "I will be fine, and you won't become ill from your food anymore.  Let me leave the cell."

 

Amaris's grip tightened slightly and her hand began to tremble around Lyra.  "The humans wish for your death, and that spell isn't infallible.  It only affects those who wish to harm you directly.  They could easily put you in a cell elsewhere so long as they didn't hurt you in the process, and withhold water until you perished... Or..." Amaris's voice cracked as she blurted out the words she had danced around, "I'm their executioner.  They only haven't forced me to kill you because they believe I will do so of my own volition.  You've already outlived the others; they'll grow impatient soon.  If you stay here, they'll believe you're already dead.  If you go out there, and they see you're still alive..." Complete and utter despair filled her eyes.  Lyra's jaw dropped at the sight of tears forming in the corners of her shimmering silver eyes, "Please... don't let them know you're alive." 

 

"I... didn't think of that," Lyra said, her stomach dropping as tears formed in her eyes as well.  She couldn't argue with Amaris; the memory of every glare that had affixed upon her since coming here flashed before her.  They were already growing impatient for Lyra's death; of course they wouldn't tolerate her survival for long.  "I'll stay... Could you please put me down?"

 

"My apologies," Amaris placed Lyra gingerly on the ground, her voice quieted by the labor of suppressing a sob, "I shouldn't have grabbed you like that.  I just..."

 

"I get jumpy when I'm afraid too," Lyra said, "I forgive you."  Her tone was hollow; Lyra crushed down her emotions in her attempt not to feel as if the ground was falling.  Tiny as her world was, it managed to shrink still.  Guilt lashed her for daring to want to cry;  Amaris's world had been this small for thousands of years.  Her pain was nothing in comparison.  This did not stop tears from dripping down her face, which caused Amaris's expression to sink deeper into despair.

 

Amaris shifted to her human form.  "You don't deserve this.... They never should have sent you here..." She eyed Lyra cautiously as she approached, as if to gauge the reaction to her advance.  Lyra was no longer afraid; if simply the thought of losing her could bring tears to Amaris's eyes, she wasn't as disposable as she'd imagined.  Amaris cautiously wrapped her arms around Lyra, who buried her face in Amaris's shoulder.  The acknowledgment by another that she was hurt made it impossible to deny as violent sobs tore through her.  "I am so sorry."  Amaris held her close.

 

"This isn't your fault," Lyra whispered. 

 

"I am still sorry."

 

Once Lyra had gotten control over her tears, she pulled away from Amaris, who had moved her arms away at the first hint of such an action.  She felt naked; she never cried in front of anyone.  She'd perfected the art of crying quieter than running water and cutting her tears quickly to accommodate. With a quick wipe of her face she pretended she hadn't cried at all, and glanced over at Amaris to see her reaction to this embarrassment.

 

Through a new lens, Amaris's efforts to put her at ease were becoming clearer.  She stood as a human would after an hour on their feet made them begin to shift their weight for a more comfortable way to carry it.  Her eyes were sorrowful but warm, and she smiled sadly.  Even the aspects of her dragon form she maintained did not appear monstrous in this moment.  She stood at a cautious distance, having backed away when Lyra appeared to wish for space. 

 

Amaris's weight shifted too far to one side and she stumbled.  Lyra gasped and darted over to help steady her.  Amaris caught her balance without aid, but shot her a grateful look regardless.  Noting the worry in her eyes, Amaris said, "This is just from breakfast...  I simply need some rest..." For a moment she considered shifting back beforehand, but worried Lyra's current calmness might disappear should she return to dragon form again.

 

With effort beyond what she wished to show, Amaris stumbled back toward the hallway.  Lyra nervously followed alongside her, arms held as if ready to assist her, watching to catch the beginning of a fall in her movements.  She did so until Amaris reached the bed, and waited to ensure Amaris flopped onto it rather than the floor.  Once Amaris was laying down, she was almost immediately asleep. 

 

Trees crashed to the Earth with rainfalls of emerald leaves.  "The city is dead.  Why do I prowl forward still?" Amaris growled.  She wished only to return to her cell and sleep; sleep seemed to be the only activity which held her interest anymore.  "And why do you hide behind an illusion like some pathetic—"

 

"Shut up," the king's image demanded from atop her head, and Amaris's teeth locked together, "The dragon who thought to claim this land has keen senses.  You'll ruin your chance to ambush them."

 

The blood drained from Amaris's face.  To attack another dragon was a serious matter, only conceivable in retaliation to a serious offense, or after announcing a dispute over territory.  To simply ambush without cause was unthinkable.  She felt ill, the force of the spell guiding her like a marionette, as her legs trembled far too much to carry her without the assistance.

 

The king missed the sound of his own voice, "Your... performances are perfect for sending a message.  I do still want the riches of my new land, however, and you leave nothing in your wake, so I use my army to conquer after you've spread fear.  But all the men I've sent to conquer this land have been destroyed by the dragon who claims it.  Foolish thing doesn't even realize who it has chosen as an enemy.  Once you've disposed of it, my army will be free to take all I—"

 

"Amaris!" The voice which sliced through the king's was the screech of an eagle over the rumble of a landslide amplified to monstrous proportion, "What has gotten into you?" 

 

The massive feathered dragon dropped out of the air without casting so much as a shadow to herald her approach, and landed in absolute silence.   Amaris started; even a dragon's senses were no match for the stealth of Celosia's flight.  Celosia was glorious as always, with stark white, owl- like eyes and striking feathers covering her body in the vibrant shades of a flame's cerulean core.  The sight of her demolished Amaris; of all the beings in existence, Celosia was the last she wished to see under such horrid conditions.

 

"You promised me you wouldn't kill humans when I first expressed desire to see what they would grow into, and now you storm directly into my territory to destroy the cities under my protection?" The rage in Celosia's eyes grew as small flames appeared at the edge of every feather.  The temperature began to rise,  "And to think I allowed you into my territory... I thought you were here for me..."  a hurt look crossed her face, "But it appears you've had your fun with me, and now you're here to destroy what is mine." 

 

Steam began to rise from the trunks of the larger trees while saplings burst into flame, the grass surrounding her quickly losing its verdant color only to be replaced by a carpet of embers.  "You know this dragon?" The king asked in amusement, his image leaping down from Amaris to saunter closer to the enraged dragon.  Over his shoulder he commanded "State the nature of your relationship."

 

"We are... romantically involved... until we encounter our true mates."  Amaris winced as she spoke.  She hated for the king to know of such an intimate detail. 

 

"You dare divulge OUR personal matters to a human?"  Celosia howled, her entire body engulfed in flame.  She was a phoenix burning alive with rage, "I should kill you for this offense!"

 

Amaris's heart shattered at the sight of the steam rising from Celosia's face, phantoms of tears evaporated by flame.  Dragons only had one true mate, and their souls were linked to one another from their creation; meeting one's fated, however, could take eons.  It was not uncommon for dragons to form temporary bonds until then.  What was uncommon was how much Amaris and Celosia had cared for one another.  They had come close to loving one another as they could.  Every memory with Celosia was a prismatic fairytale.  She had missed Celosia more than her own freedom since her imprisonment.  She had dreamed of seeing her once more. 

 

The pieces of her heart rose as Amaris realized this was perhaps the best way it could have worked out.  Painful as it was, Celosia's newfound loathing of her was her salvation.  Amaris's power was intense due to the moon's influence on the Earth, but Celosia outmatched her like an eagle to a mouse.  She was born from an ancient and massive star in the heart of the galaxy, its gravitational force fueling her to near godhood.  Celosia could easily kill her, and the king would lose his war machine.  No more blood would spill after Amaris's.  "Kill her," the king commanded. 

 

Channeling her focus into making her efforts convincing, Amaris attacked.  With a violent roar Amaris hurled the largest fireball she could muster at Celosia, the nearby tree trunks exploding into flames just from the heat near the blast.  Celosia did not move.  The fire Amaris unleashed had no effect, which surprised neither dragon.  Celosia lashed out with her tail and flipped Amaris by the ankle, tossing her into the air to slam onto her back with a shout in pain.  "Kill me?  A human gives you such a ludicrous order and you follow?  Have you grown moronic?  You know I can decimate you in minutes."

 

Amaris clambered to her feet and slashed a claw at Celosia's legs, wincing in pain as they grated against her scales, dulled by the effort.  Her heart sank once more as Celosia landed another blow, smashing one of her front claws into the side of Amaris's jaw, the force toppling her to the side; it was painful, but hardly damaging, let alone lethal.  Celosia was certainly not lying down for this fight, but she was without intention to kill, presumably expecting Amaris to come to her senses.  Dread filled Amaris as she began to wonder what would happen now that she must follow an impossible command.  She could never beat Celosia in battle, and she began to doubt Celosia would kill her. 

 

Amaris lowered her head and charged at Celosia with her horns; Celosia always hated this attack, she said it looked like some stupid bull charging.  When Celosia stepped to the side with an annoyed grunt, Amaris snarled maniacally and bit Celosia's tail.  She was met with a howl of pain and a back claw kicked directly between her eyes, still without serious injury.  If she couldn't anger Celosia to the point of killing her, Amaris wondered, would they fight forever?  Would Celosia eventually tire of this and decide to leave, only to be followed and attacked endlessly?

 

Tears began to flow from Amaris's eyes, causing Celosia's to widen.  She froze in the middle of her attack, the flame about to pour from her mouth disappearing.  Amaris's stomach lurched.  The look of realization, then mercy in Celosia's eyes caused the tears to flow more heavily from Amaris's as she slashed a claw at Celosia's wings.

 

"Something is wrong," Celosia said.  She watched Amaris's movements, dodging another futile attempt to damage her wings, her face twisting in agony as she watched Amaris cry, "Why are you doing this?" 

 

"She does everything I want her to," The king snidely responded, his image leaning against a nearby tree to calmly watch as if the spectacle before him was simply a squabble between rats, "I doubt you were ever able to say the same." 

 

Celosia snarled and lunged for him.  The illusion was only momentarily disrupted as she tore her claws through it.  "Did you really think I'd watch dragons duel in person?" The king cackled, "I see my dragon prefers beauty over brains; I imagine that elegant plumage must be attractive to your species.  Such a pity those colors will fade.  Now hurry it up and kill her, dragon." 

 

As Celosia gawked in outrage at the king's sneering image, Amaris went for the kill, snapping her jaws at Celosia's throat, who pulled away to avoid the blow with far too little urgency.  Celosia did not attack as Amaris stalked toward her.  Tears continued to drip down Amaris's face. "Please... Kill me..."  Amaris begged.

 

Celosia leapt back with horror on her face.  "I cannot do such a thing!"

 

"You have to!" Amaris sobbed between a breath of fire and a leap forward, slashing her claws at Celosia's knees in an attempt to tear them out, "I won't be able to stop fighting until one of us is dead." 

 

A resolution overcame Celosia's eyes.  Amaris sighed, smiled, and closed her own.  A moment passed.  Death did not come to save her.  She felt blood fill her mouth as her teeth sank into Celosia's throat.  There was no struggle.  Amaris's screams were muffled by flesh.  Tears could not wash the blood from her face as she heard Celosia's heart fall silent. 

 

The king laughed uproariously.  "You should have just asked her to die in the first place!"  Amaris was too busy spitting blood between cries which nearly broke her ribs with their intensity to find words.  "Killing a dragon is quite the accomplishment.  I desire trophies.  Cut her horns off, and pluck her flight feathers."

 

"You... you would dare have me defile her body?"  Amaris couldn't watch herself begin sawing through a horn with her claw.

 

"Sounds to me like you already defiled it during your 'romantic involvement.'  Only now she won't care what you do."  His eyes gleamed with pride as Amaris dropped a massive horn beside the corpse and moved to the next. 

 

A silence in which not a single thought was translatable passed, until finally Amaris said all she could think of, loathing the inability to fully express all she felt as she said,  "You're a monster." 

 

The king laughed.  "Any human in my domain would be hung for saying such a thing; my people would destroy them as mob out of their devotion to me.  I have brought wealth to them.  I have brought safety to them.  I am beloved."

 

"They are all wretched fools."

 

"They are only human, as am I.  You see, dragon, there are no monsters.  I am not exceptional.  I am simply a human with the means to achieve my ambitions."  At the sight of the tears dripping from Amaris's shut eyes, the king mocked sympathy in his, "Worry not, my pet, your sorrow is fleeting.  You will learn from your time with me to aspire as I do, and you will no longer regret the means to our glorious end as you become human like me." 

 

The sound of whimpering emanated from the other side of the door; Lyra had simply returned to the dining room, feeling odd waiting in the bedroom for Amaris to awake, but unsure where else to go.  Lyra all but leapt out of her chair, as she worried Amaris had lied about being fine.

 

Tearing the door open, Lyra darted for the source of the sound.  Lyra was shocked to see a mask of despair upon Amaris's face as she stirred and cried out in her sleep.  "Amaris!" Lyra said softly at first, but repeated it more loudly each time.  She climbed onto the bed and gently shook Amaris's shoulder. 

 

Amaris woke with a shudder, and her eyes darted to Lyra, agonized and wild.  The look would have startled her, if Amaris's eyes weren't glossed with tears.  Lyra gawked for a moment as the tears began to drip down Amaris's face.  Without thinking she wrapped her arms around her.  Amaris pulled her close, and sobbed into Lyra's shoulder.  Neither of them said a word; Lyra knew nothing of what inspired Amaris's tears, and Amaris did not wish to revisit the nightmare yet again.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 

 

It was hours before Amaris spoke again, although Lyra only noted the passage of time by the colors of the sky; she was too busy agonizing for a way to stop tears she could not find the source of.All she knew was Amaris was in pain, more than she imagined such an invulnerable creature to be capable of.Her tears fell down her cheekbones to bring rain to the cell.Her voice was only in gasps, but cracked and trembled regardless.Her eyes were desolate. 

 

Once again Lyra found herself imagining the special Hell humanity had created for Amaris, only now she did not think of her simply as a mistreated creature.She was a person, and of the thousands of years of abuse Amaris had suffered at human hands, Lyra knew she hardly had comparison to understand any of it. 

 

Lyra thought of the atrocities of her kingdom's history.Common belief had always been that the dragon's only objection to the king's control would have been the blow to its pride.As she gazed upon the broken person before her, thought of the self Amaris had revealed in response to being treated with humanity, Lyra knew Amaris never would have committed such acts on her own.

 

"Why do you attempt to console me?"Amaris finally whimpered into Lyra's shoulder, "You know better than any human what a monster I am.Have you not considered that I might deserve this pain, that it may be the closest thing to justice anyone will have?"

 

"I don't think you're a monster."

 

"Then you do not understand what I have done."

 

"Name one monstrous thing you did before.... human meddling, and I'll believe you're a monster."Lyra found the direct wording too harsh at the moment; she began to feel herself walking on unstable ground again, only it was Amaris she feared would crumble now. 

 

Amaris was quiet.It was clear she had no answer, yet she would not concede. 

 

"There's an ancient legend in the city I'm from.It used to be on heavily disputed dragon territory.Dragons hunted and fought over us relentlessly.Hardly anyone lived to thirty."

 

Amaris winced."I suppose I am not unique.Perhaps all dragons are monsters."

 

"That— that wasn't the point of the story.There's more.There's a shrine.It isn't maintained anymore, but I used to go there to be left alone.... There was a large mural of you.Humans built it a long time ago out of gratitude to you."

 

"There is a shrine for me?"Amaris's face was blank with shock for a moment before her eyes narrowed in disbelief, "Gratitude?What could I have done?"

 

"It was centuries before the king when you claimed the city as your territory.You killed a dragon that aimed to hunt us to extinction."

 

"I do not deserve gratitude for a spat over territory."

 

"Well, you say that, but once the territory was claimed, we feared that you would use our city as your personal hunting ground, like every other dragon wanted to.It was the driving force behind the disputes... I suppose we were easy and plentiful targets..." Lyra shuddered, and gave Amaris a reassuring smile before guilt could appear in her eyes, "Yet you never bothered a soul.You went through the effort to ensure other dragons never came near and asked us nothing in return.You protected us for centuries."

 

"I do not deserve gratitude.I simply fought a few dragons.For all you know I simply wanted the land to prove I was powerful enough to keep it."

 

"Then why were you surprised to hear of one small shrine?Dragons who claim territory for notoriety always demand worship from humans.You never even told us your name."

 

"I don't deserve credit.It was only because humans being hurt made her cry..."Amaris's face twisted as if she'd sustained a blow to the gut, "I... I do not wish to speak of this anymore... Could you..."

 

"Did I ever tell you why I got arrested?"Lyra didn't need to hear the end of the request.She was well acquainted with the desire to focus on anything beside the memories bubbling to the surface. 

 

"No, you didn't.I can still hardly imagine you doing anything—"

 

"It was murder."Lyra cut Amaris off; she would shift focus from telling Amaris she wasn't a monster for the sake of moving the subject away from the source of her anguish, but she would not abide Amaris considering herself a monster and Lyra an angel.She wasn't about to be the person on a pedestal who Amaris lashed herself for not being."I murdered a man in broad daylight.Everyone saw."

 

"Well he must have attacked—"

 

"Nope, I saw him from down the street and just charged." 

 

"You wish for me to call you a monster.Is it to make me feel better, or because you believe it?"

 

Lyra's eyes widened and her mouth hung open for a moment.Amaris realizing Lyra's intentions completely ruined it. 

 

"I noticed this gambit relies on refusing to explain the reasons for your actions, which means only the former can be true."Amaris sniffed, and for a moment Lyra worried she would return to sobbing.Instead she gave Lyra a soft smile, "You are very sweet to attempt to console me.I do not need to be lied to, however.If I am to hear about you, I do not want it skewed to suit me.Now, why did you kill him?"

 

Lyra paused for a moment.She had been prepared to boast of that man's death, but speaking of the events surrounding it was an ache she had hoped to die before feeling."There was a girl.We grew up together; we were best friends.I think I loved her before I understood what it even was.She never felt the same, but that was ok.She made me happy.I didn't need more..."Now Lyra's eyes had glazed with tears.She would have stopped then if silence wouldn't leave Amaris alone with her thoughts, "She loved a man.I always hated him.He was never kind, never considerate.Not in ways that he couldn't keep physical track of, anyway.She was always dripping with diamonds for him to point to when she noticed the stars growing dimmer.She married him.She begged me to attend the wedding.I loathed every moment but feigned joy for her.

 

"I watched that man make her miserable for a year before the first slip up.I saw a bruise and she pulled her sleeve down as if it was her sin.She refused to admit it was him.I kept noticing bruises.The hem of her dress would shift or a sleeve would get pushed up.Always there.Always fresh.Always strategic.Never a mark where people would easily see.She defended him.She was too afraid not to.She became more afraid when I wanted to intervene.She cut me out of her life."Lyra winced.

 

"One day she and her husband were walking down the street.I tried to pretend I didn't notice them approaching out of respect for her.But she tugged at the collar of her dress to scratch her neck, and I saw them.Purple fingerprints. It's blurry after that.His blood was everywhere.I had a knife.It was the only thing that wasn't drenched; I never even unsheathed it.I slammed his head against brick until I had bits of skull on my hands.I think she was trying to pull me off him.I know she was crying.She begged me to stop.I realized if I let him live, she'd never leave him.He'd destroy everything she was before he finally killed her during one of their 'arguments.'I've never loathed anyone more than him for his capacity to snuff out light, and I wanted him snuffed out no matter what the cost.I was bludgeoning the corpse still when they arrested me.I stomped on it when they bound my hands.I spit on it as they led me away.My trial was pointless.I wouldn't even say a word in my defense.She testified against me.She said she hated me, called me a monster...But he'll never touch her again."

 

"How DARE they?" Amaris roared.With a start Lyra realized her story may not have been the right kind of distraction.Every bit of Amaris previously dedicated to sorrow ignited with rage, flames appearing on her breath, "You saved a life— multiple lives, even.You quashed a demon that would have taken victims after her.And how dare she—"

 

"Don't.You can hate humans all you want.Don't say anything about her.You don't understand what he did to her,"the flames on Amaris's breath extinguished as her eyes widened, a stunned look on her face as she saw fire in Lyra's eyes, "I knew she would hate me; I did exactly what she begged me not to a million times.And monster or not, she mourned him because of me.I wouldn't take it back.I'd do it again every day of my life.But I won't absolve myself of it.I won't pretend I didn't hurt her; she lost two people she loved at once.I paid a price she never agreed to."

 

Amaris was quiet for a moment, taken back by the ferocity upon the tear-slicked face before her.Lyra revealed herself to be a shrike; innocent on sight, yet ferocious when necessary.She dared to stand against a dragon when provoked; she proved herself an admirable beast. 

 

"Fine," Amaris conceded, "I will say nothing of her.The other humans however, can burn."

 

"I can't exactly make an argument on their behalf.I was the first to notice but it wasn't long before plenty of people knew.People in positions to lock him away knew.I was the only one who did anything to stop it.They didn't care what he did to her.I accepted my punishment; I don't accept that not a word was said about what he did.They spoke of him as if he was a good man.I don't know if I'll ever forgive them."

 

"I suppose we are fortunate then, that we need not forgive, since we are no longer in their presence."

 

"Hm."It was a noncommittal sound.The thought of never again seeing others the way she used to was harrowing; Lyra had once considered herself a good person.She couldn't imagine that being true anymore, not when all she could feel was anger or ache for every human face she could remember. 

 

"I've upset you."Amaris's eyes widened in concern.Lyra only realized there were tears when they ran down her cheek. 

 

"No... I..."Lyra laughed softly, "I need a distraction from this distraction." 

 

"Perhaps we should refrain from discussing the past.... What would you do if you could escape?"

 

Lyra shot Amaris a calculating look, and received a laugh in response."It's not a test.If you found a way to escape this hell I would consider it foolish if you didn't use it.If you did, what would you do with your freedom?"

 

Opening her mouth expectantly as words should fall out, Lyra fell silent.Should she have imagined such a thing?The corner of her mouth twitched as she realized anyone else would have an answer ready.She wondered what was wrong with her; all they had to do was conceal the sun and she forgot it ever existed.

 

She glanced up at the sky sprawling above her, and the twinge of pain was replaced with momentary peace.They couldn't hide the sun for long; they never anticipated Amaris."I'm not really sure... I couldn't go back home...I don't know how eager I am to meet new people either...I think I would find somewhere quiet and scenic, maybe by the ocean, and I'd set up a life for myself in a little house far from its neighbors.I used to paint and woodwork.Perhaps I could get by on those skills.Maybe open a shop someone else runs the front of while I make things."

 

"That sounds wonderfully peaceful." 

 

"What would you do with your freedom?" Lyra returned the question.

 

Amaris's expression grew uncomfortable as she glanced at Lyra and then to the floor."I am not sure there is anything left for me out there." 

 

"Well, I suppose in this fantasy where one of us breaks out the other would as well, so you'd have a place in my very small house and a front row seat to my very boring life."It was said with a small smile to be a reassurance, but the way Amaris's eyes grew with warmth and her expression became saccharine, it was clear that it meant more than intended. 

 

"You would still tolerate my presence?"The phrasing of the question was a blow to the stomach, and Lyra felt an old friend awaken, seething with resentment which had only grown during its slumber.She had come to care for Amaris, which meant the thought of the pain required to even coax such a question from her lips was maddening. 

 

The legend she had shared was not fabricated.Lyra had many memories of lounging against the ivy-covered stone of the shrine, admiring the workmanship in the mural of the glorious creature.She had read extensively of the lore surrounding the dragon her people had once praised, and she had grown sorrowful in her study.There was never a record of Amaris attacking humans before the king's influence; even the tales she had heard of Amaris killing humans sent to kill her didn't stand under scrutiny. 

 

In every instance Lyra had found the official records of the event, and the description of the dragon they fought; it was similar, but it wasn't the dragon from the shine.The striking difference was its markings being a deep grey against pale silver skin, while Amaris's were stark white against her gunmetal- hued scales.It was unsurprising that such a detail was forgotten and the dragons were mistaken for one another; tales told out loud often mutate in the process. 

 

Amaris still proved in her actions the gentle beast may have come to the brink of death, but was drawing each breath with more ease than the last.Amaris hadn't deserved the violence which drove her to madness, only to fall to pieces in sobriety.Lyra thought of the sensation of crushing the skull of a demon, and wished she could have inflicted it upon that dreaded king long ago."Of course I would."

 

Amaris threw her arms around Lyra, causing her heart to experiment with acrobatics.Earlier embraces had been out of desperation for comfort, begging for warmth.This embrace was out of affection alone.Lyra became aware again of how beautiful Amaris was in this form, and flushed red, quickly burying the thought.There was nothing romantic in Amaris's touch.She doubted Amaris could possibly admire her in the way her heart foolishly assumed. 

 

Amaris froze; the scent of lust had leapt into the air, bounding off the beats of Lyra's suddenly racing heart.Amaris felt her entire body come alive.Her lungs filled with Lyra's decadent, enticing fragrance.Her heart began to beat ferociously.Her skin became more sensitive, the warmth radiating from Lyra rushing over her and leaving flames in its wake.  Amaris’s pupils dilated to see her mate in the utmost detail. 

 

Her skin was like rich silk; the depth of her tone was harmonious with the symphony of rain’s homecoming to distant shores.White freckles adorned her like the last stars scattered across the surface of a river painted by sunrise.Amaris longed to follow her current, as the song carried on winds sweetened by her breath sounded like sanctuary.

 

The vibrant hair draped over her shoulders were the vines which grew upon graves and resurrected forgotten ruins; Amaris could feel the roots coiling around her broken bones so they could heal in their proper place.She was sculpted from the ash of ancient stars to shame marble for its attempts to replicate beauty; Amaris wished to leave a subtle signature as she touched the sublime.

 

In her amber eyes the soul of every star still burned, the warmth which caressed Amaris’s skin warning of an inferno up close; Amaris longed to dance in the wildfire.Crystalline in their expressions, she kept pieces of herself suspended in their core for only those who could stare down the sun to see.The reflection of that light illuminated the skies around Amaris.

 

It had been thousands of years.Lyra didn't seem to realize what a ravenous beast she was taunting, or that she was taunting at all.Amaris's current appearance was at best convenient, at worst deception; she was no less of a dragon now, her primal instincts powerful as ever.The beast within her roared for Lyra.It craved to taste her, to run its teeth across her skin, its claws over her body.It wanted to claim her. 

 

Amaris did her best to conceal the desire in her eyes, opting to look away entirely as she quickly released Lyra from the embrace.Simply because Amaris was aware of the reaction Lyra had to her did not mean she was going to count her heartbeat as her voice; a faint flush across Lyra's face and a confession of her eyes made it clear she intended to keep such emotions concealed.In all likelihood she would be humiliated to know Amaris could sense them. 

 

Amaris tried not to wonder why Lyra chose not to express her desires.It was not of her concern; Lyra was entitled to her privacy.Besides, such a train of thought was destined for Hell.Of course the sunbeam before her would flee her shadow; Amaris was a monster.To feel desire for her could only be shameful.Nobody would long for her in such a way again.Amaris was thankful she had turned away from Lyra.Tears glossed her eyes for a moment before her attempts to stifle them caused them to evaporate from the heat.

 

Amaris had accepted upon realizing her imprisonment was eternal that she would never find her true mate.It was a mournful thought, and it stained the stone with each of her steps as she waded through an endless current of numb sorrow.For dragons, meeting their mate was a sacred occasion.Each dragon's soul was bonded to another, which if not in an immortal vessel, reincarnated until they met their fated.The link between souls was indescribable; love beyond compare, bliss beyond imagination.It was what every dragon, no matter how callous, knew would one day being them joy.Except Amaris. 

 

It felt like half of her life was ripped from her to know she would always be alone.Over time she was able to focus on anger to reject pain.But being so close to someone she desired while knowing nothing of the situation had changed made every wound fresh again.

 

Of course Lyra was not responsible for any of that.It would be cruel to expect her to fill such a void, or even let her be aware enough of it to feel responsible for it.Lyra was sweet; upon discovering the arctic shadow of the cell, Lyra might wish to keep Amaris warm, but Amaris would never let her burn.Amaris was not even sure Lyra was her fated; in all likelihood it was her extended solitude which caused such a ferocious desire.It occurred to Amaris that she was hardly entertaining such a thought. 

 

Amaris wondered for a moment, if they had both been free, would they have met? Would Amaris have spotted her as she flew through the sapphire sky, a glistening jewel calling to her from the earth far below?Would she have landed nearby and taken human form for a chance to speak with her?Would she have presented the piece of the moon she had kept as her closest treasure to Lyra and waited eagerly to see if it reacted to her?What would the verdict be if she still had that stone?

 

Amaris banished such distractions before they could become brilliant enough to leave their imprint on her eyelids.Her train of thought now descended to depths where darkness soaked each one.Amaris was a monster.She would never wish Lyra harm, but Lyra would not be unreasonable if she never fully believed that.Should Amaris let it show that she had any desire for her, Lyra may fear retaliation if she failed to reciprocate.Even if such fear was unfounded, it would still hurt her, still force her actions in directions she may not have chosen otherwise.

 

Desperately as she longed for Lyra, Amaris could think of nothing more repulsive than the thought of Lyra only pretending to reciprocate to appease her, except for the thought that she may be too blissfully seduced to notice such a thing occurring, that she could be in heaven as her own hands pushed her lover deep into hell.To mention such emotions would only be violent.

 

A curious expression came over Lyra's face.With a flush across her cheeks Amaris realized her eyes had crept back to Lyra, and she'd been staring.Hoping her eyes hadn't given her away, Amaris averted them, clutching her forearms with her hands in a grip that would crush anything else in the cell."I should go collect my dinner," Amaris quickly changed the subject as she nearly leapt to her feet.Without time for response from Lyra, Amaris hardly concealed that she fled from the room. 

 

Lyra gawked at the empty door frame when she was gone.She knew that look.She'd been given that look by many, and often loathed it.Never before had seeing that look in a pair of eyes made her heart stutter, then rise. 

 

The flush across Amaris's cheeks and the quickly fumbled exit were also familiar.Lyra had done the same thing many times after offering her heart to women who asserted they would only take a man.She wondered why Amaris acted in rejection before Lyra even said a word; in honesty, she wouldn't have rejected Amaris.She might have even mentioned her own desires if she had the confidence. 

 

Lyra flushed at that.She wondered if it was for the best that nothing was said; would she have made a fool of herself by being so easy to claim?Lyra never had cause to wonder such a thing before.She had been picky enough to keep herself in peaceful solitude long before her sentence.She had never minded before; the options available would have been the equivalent of taking a match to the life she built herself.Reciprocation was never in the cards for the affections in Lyra's life, and she never had to consider what to do in such a situation.

 

Now Lyra was reeling with chaotic thoughts of Amaris once more. She had dreamed before of a beautiful woman wanting her.In those dreams Lyra was confident, but only because it wasn't real.The thought of actually conveying that Lyra desired her as well was terrifying.Even if Amaris accepted her, would she only disappoint? 

 

Her mind loved the twist the thoughts had taken and carried on relentlessly.Amaris seemed quite interested in hiding her feelings.Lyra wondered if Amaris was ashamed of them.Perhaps Lyra was simply the only one there, and otherwise Amaris wouldn't glance in her direction.Perhaps to Amaris, attraction to a human was attraction to a to a cockroach.Perhaps Amaris was aware her affections were simply the result of neglected needs, and perhaps she was embarrassed by what her starvation had caused her to salivate over. 

 

When Amaris reached the entrance of her cell, she scowled at the offerings.In the past she would have killed this servant in hopes the replacement would bring something better, and deal the same punishment to the next when they inevitably brought something so rancid.

 

As Amaris waited by the door, she struggled to stifle the roar within her to lash out at such disrespect.She promised she would not kill.With a growl, she knew she would adhere to this.Still, she said nothing of antagonizing the human a bit.Amaris crept up one of the pillars, gravity cautiously backing away from her as she did so.She leered from the darkness at the doorway.This servant would bring something better; Amaris would motivate them to perform their duties properly.She did not wish to embarrass herself by becoming ill again. 

 

As the cell door creaked open, Amaris waited for the human to cautiously step in and stare incredulously at the uneaten corpses.Amaris let loose a small burst of fire, incinerating them."Do not feed me filth, human!"She roared.The human's eyes darted to her and she poised to pounce, intending to cut off their escape.They toppled over as their knees gave out from fright, their yelp resembling an upset hen.

 

Amaris balked, and narrowed her eyes as she slowly climbed down from her perch.She supposed such theatrics were unnecessary; this human was far easier to startle than Lyra was.Amaris's stomach wrenched with guilt at that thought.She'd terrorized Lyra.Lyra was simply a human sent through the same door as this one.

 

With a somber sigh, Amaris sat, positioning herself so it would take a moment to rise back to her feet.She hoped this would demonstrate her commitment to the comfortable distance between them."Just go fetch me fresher offerings.These make me sick.And another meal fit for a human, which is to go nowhere near the other offerings."

 

The human clambered to their feet and brushed chestnut hair away from a sweat-slicked brow. "Y— Yes, dragon."They scurried out of the cell as Amaris growled in response, and scowled at their back.They were simply a human sent through a door.But they weren't Lyra.Perhaps this human was no different from those who had hurt them both.

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 

When Amaris returned, both women paid close attention to the other's expression.  Amaris was relieved to see fear had left Lyra's eyes for good.  Lyra was surprised not to see shame or disgust in Amaris's. 

 

"I had the servant bring more food for you." Amaris affixed her gaze firmly on her path to the table, chiding herself for the faint flush across her cheeks.  She knew she had no right to feel such a way for Lyra, and wished that was enough to quiet her heart. 

 

"I haven't finished the last tray," Lyra said, glancing guiltily at the delicacies her appetite had wasted.  She wondered if she should finish her leftovers first, as they were hardly altered by the time they had sat, and agonized that would only guarantee the new offerings went to waste. 

 

"It's old.  This is fresh."  Amaris shoved the tray aside as if it was now rancid, replacing it with a tray towering in roasted potatoes, vegetables, and exquisite cuts of steak cooked to perfection.

 

"Thank you, Amaris."  At the sound of her name Amaris glanced up at Lyra and gave her a warm smile.  Lyra felt herself melt a little as she took her seat in front of the offerings.  Both women turned their faces to conceal the longing upon them. 

 

As she ate, Lyra tried to decipher the spice mix which made the vegetables so delightful.  Tasting grief as she realized she would never have an opportunity to attempt duplication of the recipe anyway, she tried not to think of it further.

 

"Do not thank me.  It is the least I can do, and it does not begin to make up for your being locked in a monster's cage."  Sadness demolished her smile, her eyes still avoiding Lyra's as she plucked a few strips of bacon off the old platter and placed her full attention on eating them. 

 

"You're not a monster, Amaris."

 

"That's very sweet of you to say." 

 

"I'm not just saying it.  I mean it."

 

"If you could see me in such a light it only demonstrates why you don't deserve to be trapped in darkness."

 

Lyra tried to catch Amaris's eyes, but they were firmly affixed on the wall across from her as she took a partially eaten peach from the tray of leftovers.  Absently biting it in half, Amaris didn't seem to notice she was eating the pit as well.  The look on Amaris's face threatened sympathetic tears, which Lyra hoped the reassurance in her voice would quell.  "I don't mind being here."

 

"That is a lie," Amaris said as she glared at the sparse room; while the clouds had made the sunset a thing of beauty, they eclipsed the moon and the stars, leaving an empty blackness above the grey cell, which was now lit only by the torches.

 

"You're not the reason this place is unpleasant," Lyra clarified.

 

"I am the reason this place is a tomb.  Even you have faced my wrath..." Her expression grew uncomfortable in a moment of silence, "I... realize words will not undo my behavior in the past.  You need not forgive.  You deserve to hear an apology regardless... I am truly sorry.  I have been vile to you, and you did not deserve it."

 

"I'm willing to move past that."

 

Analytical confusion overcame Amaris's face as her gaze finally fell back upon Lyra, "What do you mean?"

 

"I guess I understand, at least a little.  The sort of things you've gone through... they don't leave you as you are.  Parts of you break and fade away.  You find a way to survive but your methods fail you in safety.  It's hard to believe anyone could want anything other than to hurt you.  Your actions were terrible.  But I understand what pushed you to that point.  That you wouldn't have done any of it if humans had just left you alone."

 

"That does not make me less of a monster."

 

"Monsters don't believe they are capable of wrongdoing, that there is some justification for every act of cruelty they commit. They seldom feel remorse.  It isn't uncommon for monsters to feign these concepts, to admit to and apologize for actions they wish to be overlooked, to cite their own pain as reason for their misdeeds, without any intention of ceasing the behaviors they apologize for.  I have received many apologies from monsters, and because of that I do not forgive easily; apologies have always been an attempt to pull me back within range to lash out once more."

 

"I understand," Amaris said quietly, staring at the ground as if wishing it would devour her, "I wouldn't trust an apology from a monster such as myself either.  It is beyond generous that you are kind to me regardless."  Lyra was stunned by the response; she thought the difference between Amaris and the monsters she described was obvious.  She had only mentioned the difficulty of forgiveness so Amaris would not believe she was forgiven without being worthy of it.  She hadn't expected Amaris to so quickly assume Lyra was speaking of her, and take her words as rejection. 

 

"I accept your apology, because the behavior you apologize for has stopped." Disbelieving eyes met Lyra's and glossed with tears as she spoke, "You're not a monster.  You're just a person who has made mistakes, and I trust you not to repeat them.  I'll withhold forgiveness when you apologize for something you make no real effort to fix."  Amaris opened her mouth to speak but found nothing to say. 

 

Before Amaris could accuse Lyra of being too kind again, she continued, "I do mean it by the way, when I say I understand.  I understand what it's like to have lava in your stomach and no demons to destroy with it.  You're hurt but nobody you meet is the one who hurt you.  You're filled with anger that has nowhere to go because nobody around you is responsible for it.  I didn't kill that man in a split second decision.  That fire was first kindled when I, at the age of eleven, learned about sex from an adult leering at me and describing the violations he wished for me.  That fire grew when I watched all of my boldest friends slowly shrink away to fit in the shadows.  When something awful happened to one of us, we were only allowed to blame ourselves.

 

"I was reminded every day that I was never valued, the people I cared about were never valued.  It festered.  Killing him was the culmination of every word I bit back and every punch I didn't throw.  But now he's dead, and that fire is still there, and I have nothing left to feed it.  Sometimes it feels like it's just slowly consuming me.  But I can't let go either. I had every damn reason in the world to carry fire then and those reasons never went away, they just keep accumulating.  I can't value myself if I consider any of the things that have happened acceptable enough to forgive or forget.  I hate it.  I wasn't always so bitter, so angry, so hopeless, so numb.  But I am now, and I know why, and I don't know how to be the person I used to be anymore.  I don't think she exists anymore, and I hate what took her place."

 

None of the tears which slipped down Amaris's face were on her own behalf.  "You should not speak so harshly of yourself."

 

"Neither should you."  A broken smile crossed Amaris's face, although she quickly removed it as if unworthy. Amaris stifled her tears with great effort as she finished the last scraps upon the old tray of food.  She realized she ought to be ashamed of herself; to shed tears in front of a human was an obscene demonstration of weakness.  A dragon ought to have more pride than this.  Yet she could hardly entertain the thought for a moment.  Vulnerability didn't feel quite as sinful as she'd been led to believe, and Lyra's gaze brought no humiliation.

 

"Have some of the fresh food, I can't possibly eat it all,"  Lyra offered Amaris a plate upon which a thick steak glistened, rare to the point of requiring boldness to consume.  "You deserve better than scraps."

 

A guilty look crossed Amaris's face, but Lyra's offer tempted her into taking a seat at the table beside her.  She had already scarfed down half the steak before she remembered which form she was in, and that humans used small tools to eat their food so as not to appear barbaric.  Her face flushed red and she glanced at Lyra. 

 

Lyra's expression broke with laughter as the embarrassed realization suddenly crossed Amaris's face, the portion of steak hanging out of her mouth falling onto the plate she was almost crouched over.  "When I'm home alone, I drink things straight out of the jug I bought it in.  I just don't want to wash a single dish more than is necessary.  But I was having wine with some family friends once and I just took a huge swig from a 200 year old bottle without thinking. Nobody else would drink it after that so I kind of ruined the evening."

 

"Oh no!"  Amaris cackled.  A thankful tone filled her laughter as Lyra offered embarrassment of her own to divert from the absurd image Amaris hoped would soon be forgotten.

 

"It's ok, I didn't waste anything of quality.  I'd actually sold them that wine.  I just forged a label and put it on an  old bottle, then filled it with cheap wine and sealed it.  Made a small fortune off them."

 

"I suppose you were fortunate that they never sampled it and realized they were swindled."

 

"Oh, they had all poured themselves a glass, and they each sipped them very slowly, talking at length about the flavor.  Nobody noticed it was the cheapest option at the store they considered themselves too good for."

 

Amaris's laughter filled the cell.  "They spent a small fortune on old grapes they could not discern from other old grapes?  For what purpose?"

 

"They were more well-off than the people around them, and wished to flaunt their ability to waste money while most of the people around them could barely afford to eat."

 

Amaris's laughter ended abruptly as she cringed.  "Humans truly are wretched."

 

"Not all of them," Lyra wished she sounded more convincing; she was speaking on behalf of her species as far as Amaris was concerned.  Perhaps twenty years ago Lyra would have given an impassioned speech on the merits of humanity.  But in editing the script of it to remain consistent with the evidence before her, she was only left with punctuation marks. 

 

"You are the obvious exception."

 

"I shouldn't be put on a pedestal."

 

"You shouldn't be lumped in with the others either." 

 

"I'm not sure about that.  I'm really not special."

 

"Then why are you the first in thousands of years to bother with my name?"

 

Lyra furrowed her brow; she wondered as well.  She knew she wasn't unique in her past kindness.  Yet despite all her prying about the dragon from the abandoned shrine, she had never met a soul with sympathy for Amaris.  Mentions of her actions being command from the king were never entertained; the end to every argument was simply that if the dragon had the choice, it would destroy the kingdom, so it was not worth sympathizing with such a beast.

 

The thought occurred to Lyra and would not leave her mind.  Amaris was not subtle in her loathing of humans, yet she hardly seemed evil enough to do such a thing.  She seemed quite devastated to have ever done such a thing, yet she had killed humans since out of rage.  Would that rage overwhelm that guilt if she were free to express it? 

 

"You wish to ask me something."

 

Lyra's attention snapped back to Amaris, who captured her gaze with piercing intensity, awaiting the question.  Lyra paused.  Faint traces of tears still lingered around her eyes.  Asking something so heinous as "Would you kill off an entire kingdom if you were free?" sounded cruel after spending such time trying to reassure Amaris she was not a monster.

 

Lyra's stomach twisted with shame as she realized she'd fallen right into the same thoughtless thought process as the others.  If the question alone could upset Amaris, she couldn't be capable of the action.  Yet Lyra found it hard to imagine her wanting to do anything else with freedom.  Lyra knew how it felt to be in such chaos, with the face of your demons so breakable before your fists.  She had succumbed, and would not be surprised if Amaris did as well.  Perhaps the question was irrelevant anyway; neither she nor Amaris would have opportunity for any of the things they would do with their freedom.

 

Lyra realized she'd been quiet a little too long.  She scrambled for something to say that wouldn't circle back to Amaris's loathing of humans.  "I... don't want to bring up bad memories again," she decided partial honesty could weasel her out of admitting to what she had questioned.

 

"My entire life is comprised of terrible memories.  But silence has only brought me more suffering; I would rather speak of pain than speak of nothing."

 

"Well, you must have been happy at some point," Lyra said softly, "What was your life like before the king?"

 

"The memories I once treasured are tainted by loss..." Amaris winced as if assaulted by her own words, "But you are correct, I was happy.  I was in love, I think, with a dragon so far above me it was miraculous she ever saw me."

 

At the sight of tears forming again, Lyra hurriedly said "We don't have to talk about this."

 

"No... She deserves to be remembered.  We spent far too many years together for me to ignore her memory...  She... she was fond of humans.  I think she'd be happy to know I've befriended one," A soft smile appeared for only a split second, "She had seen a few humans create paintings and carvings as they first began to record their stories.  She told me it was worth waiting to see what they might become, that dragons may soon share the Earth with another intelligent species.  If I'm being honest, I hadn't thought of them as more than a part of the landscape before she became fascinated. 

 

"She said we ought to protect them when other dragons began toying with the idea of wiping them out so they wouldn't have to share the planet.  We claimed the land surrounding every group of humans we found, and refused to let another dragon set foot near either of our territories.  It felt good to make her happy, made me feel special to know she would protect me when I faced an opponent beyond my capabilities, powerful to know our combined force could overwhelm just about anything.  Our names quickly brought terror to other dragons.  For a while I felt I was a god, or at least beloved by one." 

 

"It seems humanity owes its survival to you."

 

Amaris shook her head.  "I never cared about the humans.  I only did what would make her happy..."  She trailed off and glanced into the distance as if the memories were recorded there, her eyes widening before falling to the floor.  "I— I only ever did what I thought would make her happy..." A bitter laugh startled Lyra.  "Even the good I've done was as an extension of someone else's will.  I've even been the executioner the humans wanted for thousands of years without command.  I... I'm just a vessel for their desires, even when I believe my will to be free."

 

"But you stopped being what they wanted.  You decided to do that on your own."

 

"I don't know who I am on my own; I don't know who I was before this.  I have nothing to return to."

 

"I don't think you're meant to look for someone in the past.  If the person you were was an extension of someone else, then you're looking for someone new."

 

"How does one even do that?"

 

"Beats me, but if it makes you feel any better, I don't have an identity to go back to either."

 

"It does not." A look verging on offense crossed Amaris's face at the assumption it would.  Her expression softened as she asked, "Were you not content before your sentencing?"

 

Lyra shook her head.  "I came from a family with a lot of pride.  I guess that meant feeling worthless if a single thing looked out of place.  I was never... comfortable.  There was even always some sort of physical discomfort, dresses that dig into me at the seams, heavy cosmetics just to walk to the market..."  Lyra's fingers had moved instinctively to her cheeks.  She couldn't touch her own face for years without worrying of smudges, couldn't move her lips without feeling tightness.  To move her hands away clean, to feel her face void of discomfort had been a secret pleasure since her sentencing. 

 

"Even at my best I was only a disappointment.  Even playing by their rules I failed them at every turn.  I stopped trying to make them happy at a point, but I never really tried to make myself happy either.  I was so focused on being something beside what they would want I never thought of what I might want to be.  I suppose I was nothing before as well..." an odd smile crossed her face, "I guess we're both going to have to meet new versions of ourselves...  If it means anything, I like this version of you."

 

"This version of me?"

 

"You're certainly different from the Amaris I met.  You're thoughtful, compassionate."

 

"I am no such thing."

 

"Then how did we end up here?" Lyra asked.  She plucked a beautiful pastry from the tray before her, which she had noticed Amaris eyeing with restraint, and handed it to her.  "Sparing me was your decision.  Giving me a bed to sleep in and new clothes to wear, that was your decision.  Bringing me food this exquisite was your decision. None of that is what the humans who sentenced me wanted.  I didn't even ask for mercy on my own behalf.  You led us here on your own."

 

"You are too kind to me.  I do not deserve such praise; I have only done the bare minimum for you."

 

"What you decided was bare minimum is what everyone else decided was far too good for me."  Amaris's eyes widened as she stared for a moment.  She looked down thoughtfully.

 

"I am new," she said quietly.  A look of uncertainty crossed her face.  "I don't know what that means."

 

"I don't either.  I think we have to just... keep moving forward," Lyra said.  This only worsened the look of confusion upon Amaris's face.  "It's exhausting to think of," Lyra said with a laugh, "I'm sorry, I keep bringing up such tiring thoughts."

 

"No... I appreciate this conversation... but..."

 

"I could use a distraction as well."

 

They both fell silent as they found nothing to mention in the moment.  Old memories were tainted.  Recent memories were of a prison.  Simultaneously, each without noticing the other doing so, they glanced pleadingly at the sky for a cluster of stars to ascribe a shape to.  The sky offered nothing to fixate on. 

 

Noticing Amaris's eyes falling back on the tray, Lyra moved it in front of her.  "I'm done eating," Lyra said. As if given permission Amaris made quick work of the leftovers.   "I'm happy to share; you don't have to wait until I'm done to help yourself next time." 

 

"I do not wish to take from you."

 

"I don't want to hoard anything." 

 

"You are too kind to me." Lyra's response was stopped by the yawn which leapt at the moment she'd opened her mouth.  "I am keeping you awake," Amaris's eyes were apologetic.

 

"The fact that I've even wanted to be awake is a miracle.  Don't apologize."

 

A pitiful look crossed Amaris's face as she stood from the table and pulled out Lyra's chair. She held the door open as Lyra paced into the room with the bed.  Lyra flopped happily onto it, only realizing the soreness her joints had contained when it was relieved slightly by the moment of rest.  She felt eyes fall upon her, and watched Amaris quickly remove her eyes from her hips, turning away as she said, "I shall let you sleep."

 

Amaris paced for the door.  Lyra tried to think of the proper words to offer Amaris a spot in the bed without sounding suggestive; she simply felt awful taking the bed for herself.  "I— You can have the bed if you want."  Lyra sat up and moved her legs over the edge of the bed to step down, deciding she'd settle for sleeping on the floor if she couldn't be bold enough to offer to share a bed that could comfortably fit four people.

 

"Nonsense.  I have a pile of furs that is comfortable enough in my dragon form.  Nowhere else in this cell is suitable for you to sleep comfortably."

 

"We could share," Lyra blurted it out with a blush before she could lose her nerve. 

 

"Are you certain?" Amaris watched Lyra warily.  She appeared nervous.  "I truly do not mind sleeping elsewhere," Amaris reassured, moving further from the bed as she spoke. 

 

"It wouldn't feel right to take the most comfortable place to sleep for myself when we can both easily fit."

 

Hoping to assuage the guilt that had appeared in Lyra's eyes and spread to her voice, Amaris paced cautiously to the bed and laid on the edge of it.  She was on the verge of falling off; a single motion in her sleep would send her toppling to the ground.  She closed her eyes and amazed Lyra with her ability to fall so quickly into such a deep slumber.

 

"Oh draaaagooooon!"  The King's voice was singsong, the liquor on his breath pungent even from a distance, "Come to meeeee!"  Amaris growled loudly, knowing the threat which crashed upon every surface in the cell would do nothing to silence the king.  She spread her wings and took flight for the entrance of the cell, hoping to just get whatever he wanted over with.  Perhaps she would get lucky, and the king simply wished to jabber at a captive audience, or he might even collapse under the weight of his inebriation before he could order her to do anything heinous.

 

Forbidden from using the proximity of her decent to knock the king off his feet, Amaris landed a short distance away and prowled toward him as if hunting, fangs bared in an empty threat.  When the king refused to allow her the satisfaction of intimidating him, she snarled viciously and imagined how far his tiny body would go flying if she was just allowed to beat her wings once more. 

 

"Be human for a little while," the king slurred.  Amaris scowled as she complied.  In response to her expression, the king reassured in a chilling voice, "I wouldn't have to force you to shift anymore if you'd just stay human for me."

 

Sparks flew from the friction of Amaris grinding her teeth, wishing his skull were between them.  She hated taking this form around him, hated the entitled leers he placed upon this body.  In her dragon form she was at least spared such discomfort.  "So pretty," He slurred, "How could such a monster be so pretty?  Looking at that face, one could almost forget what you are.  Maybe you could be my queen..."

 

"Never defile my ears with such a revolting concept again," Amaris hissed, her breath igniting the air near her lips.  They both knew she couldn't lay a hand on him, but she put every bit of intimidation she could behind the look, wishing she still had fangs to bare.

 

His eyes never noticed the expression in hers, as they had begun groping at her with their gaze.  "You're not the one who makes commands here, I make them," the king said.  His tone shot arrows of ice through her chest.  Her eyes widened with dread as a depraved grin crossed the king's face.  "I think a body like that is wasted if not for the King's pleasure."  He laughed at the look of growing revulsion on Amaris's face.  She clutched her arms against her chest, clawing at the skin on her shoulders as if it was already stained, and she already wished to remove it. 

 

The king flopped down where he was, leering wickedly at Amaris the entire time.  "I'm going to close my eyes, and you're going to do as I tell you," he said.  He seemed to relish how much Amaris loathed every passing second as he took his time laying back on the floor, and closed his eyes.  "Now sit on my face."

 

Disgust washed over Amaris as she took a step toward him.  She wished her body would cease its immunity to the flames in her chest, so she could be reduced to pure ashes rather than be defiled.  A thought crossed her mind, and the hopeless expression fell from Amaris's face. 

 

A gleeful, stunned, wide-eyed grin took its place; the king had been far too vague as to how long Amaris was to remain in human form.  She paced forward until she stood with his chest between her legs, and shifted back to her true form as she sat.  Before the king had a chance to open his eyes or complain of the wait, he was a splatter upon the floor, the moon fragment upon what was once his neck reduced to dust. 

 

Amaris laughed.  At first it was a stunned chuckle, then a fit of howls over what a pathetic end the king had met, ending in a burst of maniacal laughter to think he was finally dead.  The monster was defeated.  The nightmare was over.  She was free.  Amaris sprinted for the entrance of the cell.  The doors were left ajar by the drunken king's entrance, as if this moment had been crafted by fate. 

 

Colliding with nothing so hard she shrieked with pain, Amaris was frozen in place at the threshold of the door.  Movement was impossible until she took a step backwards.  Her knees gave out from beneath her as she gawked at the empty corridor beyond her cell.  Her heart twisted as she glanced at the tiny spot of glimmering reflective powder slowly turning red as it intertwined with blood.  The moon fragment the king held was tiny compared to the piece Amaris had kept in her lair.  Gravity threatened to crush her rib cage as she realized it must have only been a sliver hacked off of her most precious treasure.  The rest must still be in human hands.

 

Amaris had known the king to be a meticulous slime, and she realized he must have had other humans repeat his commands for her to remain in her cell, in case of his death.  As long as they lived and the moon fragment existed, she was still a prisoner.

 

The cell was an orchestra of blood-curdling screams and agonized sobs, roars of unbridled fury as she demolished the pillars nearest her, lashing out at anything within range.  Her tears did not cease until they were depleted, her assault on the cell only ending when she collapsed from exhaustion. 

 

Amaris woke with a start.  Before she had a moment to process her dream, she became aware of a warm body against her.  Amaris had not moved, but in her slumber Lyra had tossed and turned all the way to her, an arm draped over Amaris, her scent in the air the only comfort in their surroundings.  Again Amaris felt her body come alive at the temptation, and bit her tongue hard enough to draw blood as punishment.

 

Slowly as she could, Amaris began to slip out of Lyra's grip, agonizing for every second she may wake her; she did not want to startle Lyra with such unexpected closeness.  Lyra moved in her sleep, and muttered something that was certainly not real words before rolling over, her arm moving from Amaris to flop back onto the bed.  Sighing in relief, Amaris stepped down from the bed. 

 

She began to walk toward the doors, but his voice was a mosquito in her ear.  She didn't wish to be alone with it, where it would slowly drain her.  Instead, Amaris leaned against the wall in the corner farthest from the bed, focusing on the sound of the heart beating nearby to drown out the howling ghosts.


	10. Chapter 10

The morning light was stifled by heavy charcoal clouds.  Dampness seeped into the air as the scent of wet earth attempted to permeate the cell.  It was Lyra’s perfume which was impossible to ignore as Amaris awoke. The blankets were in a pile upon the floor, as Lyra was restless in her slumber.  Amusement crossed Amaris’s face at the contrast between her peaceful expression and her inability to remain in one position for more than a moment. A soft, unintelligible murmur urged Amaris into motion, hoping to have already left when she awoke.  An explanation of why she had fled to the corner of the room would be asked for if Lyra noticed; Amaris did not wish to mention it. 

 

Shifting to her dragon form the moment she was out of the hallway, Amaris sighed and stretched.  Such a small, dainty form always managed to deceive her into a sense of helplessness if maintained for too long.  It brought her a quiet peace to return to her true form. Armor of reflective scales covered her body, violent talons and menacing fangs a warning to any hint of danger.  Although it was obscured by clouds, Amaris could feel the moon hanging in the sky above, tugging at the nearby coasts to demonstrate its hold on the Earth. The echo of its melodic reassurances gleamed across the white markings adorning her as she carried its soul within its true image.  

 

With a single flick of her wings Amaris was in the air.  Absent minded, she drifted too high, as if drawn home. At the last moment she maneuvered away from the ceiling of the cell, narrowly avoiding the sharp pain that would result in a collision with the humans’ commands.  An accusatory growl rumbled from Amaris’s chest. Taking great care not to drift as her mind did, Amaris tried to fly in the center of the space she was allowed, weaving between pillars with great effort not to clip a wing across one.  The damage such accidents caused was never more than a bruise, but it would make flight painful for days.

 

It was still early when Amaris landed by the door to the cell.  With an incredulous look, she noticed the replacement had dared sleep in what remained of the cell left for them.  The sound Lyra made when Amaris tore those walls down haunted her as she examined her handiwork. She wasn’t sure if she could stomach the same reaction again.  

 

Water boiled in her lungs as she wondered if her pity was even warranted.  Surely she had already suffered enough, and owed nothing to the wicked who wandered in human skin.  It would be an offense to reserve the space for pity in her mind for them. Lyra’s words surfaced in a tumultuous sea; hesitancy aside, she had sought to defend the collective merit of humanity.  This gave pause to the thoughts which would typically descend forever. Perhaps this human was among those Lyra wished to speak for in her defense of humanity. It was enough to prevent Amaris from selecting a shadow to ambush from.  She lounged across the stone in a patch of grey light, as far from menacing as she could imagine appearing. Amaris closed her eyes as she waited; she supposed the new human was least likely to panic upon waking if they thought she was asleep.

 

Within an hour the human stirred, and a sharp intake of breath was the quiet alarm which they sounded upon spotting the monster before them.  Amaris waited for a frantic shuffle, or a frenzied cry, but there was only the resumption of a calm cadence of breath. Amaris slowly lifted her head and affixed a massive silver eye upon the human.

 

Fear was limited to the backdrop of their eyes.  Mostly calm, the scruffy human gazed curiously up at Amaris.  She raised a brow in surprise, but found it to be a pleasant one.  “Good morning… Uhm… I feel like I should have already asked for your name…”  The human’s voice was filled with caution which nearly foiled the confidence of their expression.  

 

The statement stunned her into a moment of silence.  “Amaris,” she finally said, “Why is this of such sudden importance?”

 

“Well… I’ve pieced together that if you were going to kill me, it would have happened already.  If you’re able to decide to spare someone, you’re not just a wild beast. And if that’s the case, you have a name.”

 

The confusion was cut with a blade which rendered Amaris to pieces.  Lyra had been correct to warn Amaris not to put her on a pedestal, but perhaps Amaris had only been so eager to do so in avoidance of a harsh truth.  Lyra did not use Amaris’s name because she was unique. She simply survived long enough to show such compassion. The weight of the waves of blood which had stained the stone crashed down on Amaris, threatening to break her.  

 

All those years she had believed herself to be destroying demons, taken their resilience to her name as an omen of their evil.  Instead she had silenced every voice before it could utter the words she longed for. She hadn’t acted as if she was worthy of a name.  Tears formed in the corners of her eyes and the human stuttered, “I— whatever I said I— Uh…”

 

“You are not to blame for my distress.  I… didn’t consider that you may not be wretched when I met you.  I…” the realization drowned her, “I have repeated actions I thought I had moved past…” While she wished to be better, she had only sought atonement in remorse as she repeated the offense.  Amaris felt sickened by herself. 

 

For a moment the words to describe what a monster she was, how hopeless she was, tried to flee from her lips, but she bit them back.  Perhaps she would always be a monster deep down, but refusing to try to muzzle it felt like an impulse from its heart, rather than hers.  Possible or not, giving up would only lead to more agony. She owed it to this human to at least reassure them she was trying. “I am sorry for how I have treated you.  I will not intimidate you further.” Amaris said softly. 

 

The human nodded, although their eyes withheld forgiveness.  “I’m going to get breakfast now… I think they slaughtered too many cows the other day; there’s a bunch of them and they’re new to that meat locker, so it’ll be fresh as I can get for you… sorry, it’s still gross, isn’t it?”

 

Amaris nodded.  “I suppose I have gotten used to it.  And I’d like for you to bring—“

 

“A breakfast fit for human royalty…” the human paused.  

 

“You wish to ask me a question.”

 

“Uh… no, I don’t.  I’ll be back shortly.”  Amaris raised a brow and watched the human leave.  The unease vanished as they did; the moment she’d pointed out the curiosity hanging around the human, Amaris realized what they would likely ask.  This human seemed decent, but that could not guarantee their trustworthiness. Even one with a pure heart could have loose lips, and Lyra’s survival relied on the humans’ belief she was dead.  Amaris was unsure how to explain her persistent demands for meals for a human; clearly this detail was becoming suspect. 

 

Perhaps she would claim to have acquired a taste for human food when Lyra brought it to the cell as a gift, explaining her demands for it after her death.  It felt like needles in her skin to think of making a claim so vile as killing Lyra after she did such a kind thing. Amaris supposed it would fit with what the human already believed of her, although the thought of the air filling with terror again at every sighting of Amaris sickened her.  She didn’t wish to torment this human any further.

 

Amaris winced.  This human. She longed to cease being a monster, to one day demonstrate the kindness Lyra did even when cast into the same Hell.  Yet she was once again so desperate to hear her own name she failed to bother with the names of others.

 

As she waited for the human to return, she vowed to ask for a name whenever hers was uttered.  The sky rumbled with the strain of the water collecting overhead. From the scent, sound, and density of the air around her, Amaris predicted she had little more than an hour before rain poured through every opening in the ceiling.  She growled back at the approaching thunder.

 

The human returned, balancing a tray on one hand and pulling the cart with the other.   Amaris was careful not to alarm them as she rose to her feet. “The amount of time that has transpired has made it rude for me to not know your name.  May I ask for it?”

 

“Odin.”  Amaris furrowed her brow in response, a puzzled look in her eyes.  She opened her mouth to question the human but was unsure if she should.

 

The human’s eyes grew anxious at her response.  “Is something wrong?”

 

“It is not an issue, I am not owed honesty, but…” Amaris’s gaze became analytical, “That wasn’t your real name.”

 

“I— That’s the name my parents gave me, what everyone calls me,” they said, although a bewildered look overcame their expression, “Why do you think it’s not my real name?”

 

“It is not infallible, but a dragon can usually sense when they are being deceived.”  When the human was quiet for a moment, Amaris quickly added, “I do not mean to demand it.  I will use ‘Odin’ if you wish.” 

 

“Actually… I… I prefer Nyx. I guess I don’t really have to worry about you telling the other humans.”

 

“Why would that matter to them?”

 

“It doesn’t strike you as odd?”

 

“Should it?”

 

“No…”

 

“Oh.  I see.  This is another case of humans being wretched for no good reason.  It seems everyone sent down here has been struck by their venom.” Amaris sighed.  She wondered if it was possible for a decent human to exist without punishment from their species.  

 

“Well, they’re not all bad.”  The quick and sure response startled Amaris.  Lyra could only utter such words in a doubtful waver, as if debating the merit of dishonesty when used to comfort another.  It made Amaris wonder if Nyx was simply stupid, failing to see an obvious truth. 

 

“They sentenced you to death,” Amaris reminded, her tone verging on condescending.  Nyx frowned at the insult. Their tone only became more certain. 

 

“Sure, the council is downright evil.  When I thought you were going to eat me, I wished you’d eat them instead.  But I’ve known many wonderful people as well. I had friends. They knew me, and brought me joy I wouldn’t have known without them.  They weren’t wicked, and they weren’t exceptions to a rule, either. Don’t talk to me like I’m stupid for refusing to wallow in hatred forever.” The last bit was accompanied with a glare directly into Amaris’s eyes.  

 

Their coherence quieted Amaris.  Perhaps Lyra was correct to think it problematic that she could not bring herself to feel the love Nyx did for their people.  As if the scars had transferred from Lyra to her, Amaris’s chest ached with each breath.

 

The monster she held back roared in betrayal at the heavens from within the deepest parts of her soul.  Perhaps she and Lyra were simply cursed with misfortune, flocked to by the wicked as the pure kept a distance, if they could live so long without knowing what Nyx spoke of.  She was certain Lyra never deserved the constant failure of those around her to give her what Nyx had. Nothing which made it so difficult for her to commit to the merit of her own species could have been warranted.  Earlier today even, this would have happily resulted in a deeper loathing of all humans for their insult to Lyra’s right to happiness. 

 

But she could not hate all humans without condemning many like Lyra and Nyx.  She could not ignore the consequences of her failing to realize it before. If Nyx and Lyra weren’t exceptional, then she had killed countless humans like them, countless souls she might have cared for, even called a friend, had been destroyed without a thought.  Her stomach turned thinking of it. She truly was beyond forgiveness, but that was all the more reason to avoid spreading her plague any further. It would be her duty to preserve the lives of every human sentenced to her fangs from this moment on.

 

Noticing concerned eyes upon her as tears had become a hint in her expression, Amaris quickly turned her face away.  “Thank you, Nyx,” Amaris said. Nyx set down the tray and quietly left the cell; the anger in their eyes had reverted back to concern, but they knew an obvious attempt to conceal tears when they saw it.  When the sky grumbled out another complaint, Amaris hurriedly ate her meal. Once she was finished, she shifted to her humanoid form and picked up the tray, walking at an unnaturally swift pace. 

 

It would not be long before the cacophony of the heavens poured to the Earth, Amaris noted as the sky bellowed its warnings.  Amaris was silent as she returned to the bedroom and set the tray down on the nightstand. As she muttered an incantation, glancing up at the empty ceiling, a flash of geometric lightning covered the space above them for a split second.  

 

Amaris glanced at Lyra’s sleeping form.  Her expression in slumber was a sight almost too sweet to behold.  She mumbled in her sleep as she rolled over, but showed no signs of waking.  Uncomfortably, Amaris glanced around, having expected Lyra to wake while she was out.  She couldn’t possibly deserve to return to bed, but she couldn’t explain why she left either.  Confessing that she had left the bed in avoidance of her infatuation was confessing to her infatuation.  

 

As Lyra turned again, almost horizontally laying across the bed now, Amaris decided Lyra would believe it if she claimed to have simply rolled off in her slumber.  She laid on the ground beneath the edge she’d fallen asleep on, letting the blankets Lyra kicked off the bed fall on her. Sleep came quickly upon request.

 

Amaris waited for the other humans to realize their king was dead, for them to decide her fate.  Freed from their monstrous king, the other humans would see what an evil thing it was to do, to force her obedience.  Surely they too were abhorred by the destruction, surely they must take pity on the creature the king had abused. The king had to simply be a monster among humans; evil could not be in their blood.  They couldn’t possibly be wicked enough to leave her here forever.

 

It took only hours.  Amaris heard the door to her cell open as she rested in the depths of it. Hushed exclamations at what was left of the king echoed across every surface, without a hint of mourning to any voice.  Relief washed over Amaris. They knew now. Only minutes after they left, Amaris heard the command finally echo through her mind, repeated four times in four voices. “Never leave your prison.” Grotesque shock and misery overcame her expression as her vicious roar became a blood-curdling scream, followed with a howl of pain which gave way to frenzied sobs.  Evil did run in their blood. They saw fit to punish her for their own sins. 

 

The guilt Amaris had carried hardened under the pressure of the hatred and rage building in her core.  Remorse became apathy. Humans were vile, monstrous creatures who sought only to smother an enemy in the ashes of all they once coveted.  Amaris became certain every human she had killed must have deserved it. The king was not a monster after all; only human, just like all of them.  All of them were perfectly content to let her mind wither and her soul rot for eternity as long as it spared them responsibility for their own violence.  Amaris paced around her cell, the heat from her body so intense she left molten footprints.

 

Days passed and the rumbling of Amaris’s stomach echoed across the cell, accompanied by agonized sobs.  Dragons could live weeks between meals if they absolutely had to. For dragons, however, hunger was synonymous with the pain fire brought humans.  Amaris began to leave tear stains along the molten tracks she had traced dozens of times by now. How could an entire species decide she deserved the agony of starvation, could they not even end a life without plotting the most cruel way to do so? 

 

The door to her cell opened in the distance.  She smelled meat. Old meat, verging on inedible, but nourishment enough.  She bounded toward it. A familiar, horrific scent assaulted her senses. Humans.  A savage growl leapt forth from her bared fangs. There was a small crowd of humans, armored guards surrounding an unarmed, terrified human pulling a cart with what she realized were the rotting scraps humanity had deemed her worthy of.  

 

At the sight of her rapid, ravenous approach the humans screamed, those who were holding weapons casting them aside upon the realization they would be useless against such a formidable beast.  Some tried to flee, but she had leapt into the air and crashed down in front of the door before any could escape. A vicious snarl tilted into a smile at the edges of the expression, far too subtle for the humans to see behind the predatory hunger burning in her eyes.  She let out a roar of a laugh, a depraved, violent sound, as if the king had drawn breath through her lungs. The foul creatures beneath her began to cry, plead. She said nothing. She allowed their panic to grow as she growled. They deserved to suffer. 

 

It wasn’t until one tried to scurry off from the group that she realized one might escape if they all scattered.  She let out a massive breath of fire, turning a wide circle of stone around them into a moat of molten ore. The armored humans began to shriek and try to remove their armor, the steel trapping the heat and cooking them alive.  Their screams were musical. She relished sharing her hell with the demons who cast her to it. 

 

Now that her audience was captive, she plucked the armored human who had been most thoroughly seared before the heat could claim his life.  She lifted him to her eye level, grinning monstrously at the look of complete horror in his eyes. It didn’t quite approach what she often saw in her reflection, but it was close as he would get.  This one was ready to die now.

 

She used a claw to slice the armor off of him as if peeling a fruit.  She did so slowly, ensuring she left painful gashes with each swipe while keeping him alive to feel it, laughing at his shrieks of agony as the other humans waited in horror for their turn.  She selected her next victim and maintained eye contact as she made a dramatic show of lifting the human above her head, opening her jaws wide to display her full set of teeth, and dropping him, the snap of her jaws a crash of thunder.  The other humans screamed in horror as she swallowed.

 

She scowled down at them and laughed viciously.  If the humans were going to treat her as an animal, tossing her scraps of old meat as she sat in her cage, they should have anticipated a predator’s choice to go after the fresh kill instead.  They were stupid as they were evil to make themselves the most edible thing in the dragon’s cage. She would happily punish them for it; after all, she was being eternally punished for less.

 

She continued on, slowly killing each human as she made eye contact with the next in line.   Once the cell was silent, she let out a frustrated groan as she turned her attention to the meal she was intended to eat.  Not nearly enough humans had wandered to their death to prevent her having to eat that offense to cease the pain of her hunger.  She wished for nothing more than the luxury of turning her nose up at it. 

 

Hunger finally took over and she choked down the animal carcasses that had been given to her.  They could have tasted decent a few days ago. She roared with rage, her dragon’s pride ripping her to shreds in the absence of another to lay its claws upon.  Hours later a new group of humans brought a new offering, although this time enough armored humans had been sent in a futile attempt to defend themselves that she was able to turn her nose up at the insult.  Satisfied to have a meal comprised of fresh meat, she resumed her endless exploration of the cell she had memorized by now. 


	11. Chapter 11

The first drops of rain were quiet as they glanced across the surface of the barrier Amaris had cast, but soon an army descended after its scouts.  The roar was that of the ocean as the rain crashed in waves above. Thunder calling from the clouds tore Amaris from her slumber, and with a mournful glance at the dark sky, Amaris focused on the sound to drown the echoes in her mind.  

 

Memories were pulled to the surface; the crash of waves, the sensation of being underwater, of moving the ocean currents to her will.  She allowed pain to replace her nightmares as she wallowed in how badly she longed to toy once more with the unique skill the moon granted her.  Even Celosia had been awestruck at her control over the tides, speculating that with her imagination, she could take down even a star on this terrain.  At the time Amaris had been certain it was in jest, as she was speaking to a titan even among the stars. It took all of her might to hold the memory proving Celosia right underwater; she was already losing the will to keep treading against the current.  Should the memory surface now, Amaris would certainly drown.

 

As she desperately fantasized of her own power, she imagined breaking free somehow, diving into the ocean to exert her might once more.  She supposed she’d start by building more islands of ice on the poles. They had been an experiment of sorts, yielding delightfully odd life.  She wondered how they had grown, and if they had changed much since she last visited. 

 

A brilliant day in which sunlight cascaded off crystalline snow came into focus; Celosia and Amaris cackled at one another as they imitated the clumsy waddle of the odd, flightless birds which were born in desolation.  Somehow the source of their inspiration seemed offended. A chorus of outraged honks led to more laughter. “ _ Why do they sound like that?”  _

 

Amaris wondered if she should find it concerning that in the life which sprung from lands she created, none of the birds sang beautifully.  Such odd creatures she’d condemned to life, was it cruel for them to never learn flight as they adapted to a frigid tomb? Perhaps her experiments were only proof she had always been a monster; she never considered such things back then.  Her thoughts returned to a beaten path, until a soft moan from Lyra became the only thing she could focus on.

 

Clearly having a dream of sorts, lust had cascaded from her voice and called throughout the cell for a lover she couldn’t name.  Amaris pulled her knees to her chest and clutched her arms around them. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the sound of the rain, the reminders of the ocean, anything to drown out the rush of pheromones and the pounding of Lyra’s heart.  Her every sense heightened in response to Lyra’s slumbering call, and she tried not to feel how her heart fluttered to answer. This was not for her, it was not meant to be sensed, Amaris reminded herself. She would give no response, and make no mention of it later.  Lyra deserved her private moments to remain with her alone. 

 

The excitement within Lyra grew and she moaned again for the lover of her dreams.  A sound with syllables, as if to hint at a name, was smothered by a crash of thunder, which awoke her with a start.  She glanced around wildly as Amaris kept her eyes shut, determined to feign sleep. A small, relieved sigh escaped from Lyra as she bought the illusion. 

 

Once the relief that she had not embarrassed herself in her sleep had rushed away, Lyra took note of Amaris’s position on the floor, and how she herself was almost horizontally sprawled across the bed. “Oh no,” Lyra whispered, wracked with guilt.

 

The sound broke Amaris’s illusion of sleep, regardless of the effort she exerted to maintain it.  A quiet laugh startled Lyra, and as she glanced at Amaris, one platinum eye opened slightly to meet her gaze.  “What?” Lyra asked as the laughter continued.

 

“Oh no,” Amaris mocked the squeak of a sound it had been with a smirk.  It was the perfect distraction from everything else on her mind. 

 

“Don’t make me sound like a mouse,” Lyra huffed, her face red.  She began to bounce uneasily between thinking if Amaris was so sensitive to sound, she must not have made any for Amaris not to mention it, to thinking she certainly had made sounds in her sleep, which Amaris absolutely noticed, and simply wasn’t mentioning.  Wondering if she ought to be embarrassed felt identical to being embarrassed. 

 

“What should I make you sound like, a rabbit?”

 

“What does that even sound like?”

 

Amaris shrugged, and after a thoughtful pause, said “Oh no,” the impersonation too accurate for Lyra to object to this time, although it was still a squeak.  

 

In rolling her eyes Lyra noticed the curtain of rain which ended abruptly above them.  “That’s… really pretty,” she said as she watched liquid shells explode and scatter glimmering shrapnel upon impact, the blue light of the torches dancing like fairies among a foliage of mirror shards.  

 

“I suppose,” Amaris sighed, “My apologies in advance, however, the cell will soon flood.  It will only be a few inches of water, but it is an annoyance.”

 

“Well, I guess getting the hem of this dress wet is inevitable, so I might as well…” Lyra jumped off the bed and darted for the door into the dining room.  

 

“I haven’t cast a barrier above that room yet,” Amaris warned. 

 

“I know.  My friend and I used to play in the rain as kids,” Lyra said as she opened the door, revealing a sheet of rain almost too thick to see through, “So I like to walk in the rain when I have the chance.  It’s nice to have things to remind yourself of someone. And it’s been too long since the last time.” Lyra stepped into the rain, and it pummeled her. She was drenched in moments, her shoulders sore from the artillery of the sky.  A chunk of hail took a swing at her skull. “Never mind,” She muttered as she stepped back into the room to Amaris’s laughter. “It… wasn’t raining like that when I used to go for walks in it.”

 

“You’re going to freeze like that,” Amaris said as flames burst from the palms of her hands, directed at the air near Lyra.  By the time Lyra could even respond, the fire was gone, and every drop of water upon her had evaporated. 

 

“...Thanks,” Lyra found herself shocked, although she felt stupid for it.  Knowing what Amaris was, having seen her demonstrate far more destructive abilities in the past, the image of her using such power with an expression almost bored from the lack of effort it took should be expected.  Yet she easily lost such knowledge when she gazed upon Amaris now. It was not her appearance, as she wore many aspects of her true self as reminder she was far from human; nothing of her mannerisms brought memory of the dragon Lyra had met.

 

An ache and momentary bout of dizziness brought Lyra back to the moment, and her eyes fixated upon the tray of decadence waiting on the nightstand.  “Breakfast in bed?”

 

“Does the location of the meal carry some importance?”

 

“I guess not.” Lyra felt a little silly for how she had flushed at the sight as she paced to the bed, and sat at the edge nearest her meal.  Amaris stood uncomfortably in the center of the room, glancing up at the sky as if to avoid Lyra’s gaze again. Lyra frowned. She was beginning to think she’d made some noises in her sleep.  With a flush she hoped she hadn’t called out a name, and began to agonize that she might have. 

 

Desperate for a sign, Lyra re-examined the events since her waking, and sighed in relief as she concluded that she must not have said a name, at least.  She would have woken to an entirely different reception had she done so. As her eyes traced their way back to Amaris, Lyra wondered again why she clutched her arms as if to physically restrain herself.  All she needed to do was ask and such restraint would hardly be necessary. Lyra found it harder to entertain the thought of being an embarrassment to Amaris, as it wasn’t shame she saw in the few glances she managed to get into those luminous eyes.

 

“You don’t have to be so careful to avoid me.  I’m really not afraid of you anymore,” Lyra said, glancing at the water beginning to trickle from under the doors and surround Amaris’s feet.

 

“I find that difficult to believe,” Amaris said as she sat on the edge across from Lyra, only to not be standing in a puddle.  A glance over her shoulder and quick read of Lyra’s face revealed that keeping her back turned was not suitable for conversation.  She moved only slightly closer, and leaned against the headboard, pulling her knees to her chest again. Once again the air was filled with pheromones she was certain she was intended not to notice.  

 

Amaris quickly averted her eyes again when she became unsure whether or not they expressed her desire.  She was not about to test Lyra’s assertion that she had abandoned her fear. Watching the rain for a distraction, a memory flashed across her mind of raising an image of a Pheonix from the ocean, to Celosia’s wonder.  Before she could stop herself she drifted into the nights following, the touch of a new lover…. 

 

With a sharp breath Amaris tore her thoughts away from their track, as they had circled around to making the scent of longing which filled the air around Lyra even more tantalizing.  The gentle clatter of dishes brushing against one another caught Amaris’s attention as Lyra placed the tray between them. Amaris smiled, and at the warmth in the way Lyra echoed the expression, she had to quickly look away.  Timidly she took a slice of ham from one of the plates, and turned her attention to eating.

 

Soon after Lyra was finished, Amaris had demolished the leftovers.  Lyra shivered, and pulled the blanket over her shoulders. “I imagine it’s becoming quite dreadful for a human here,” Amaris said in an apologetic tone.  

 

“I think if I throw on something warmer, I’ll be fine.”  She hardly had time to tie the hem of her dress and glance at the wardrobe before Amaris had reached it.  She acquired several long sleeved dresses and a few cloaks. Lyra wondered how to express the eventuality that she would be unwilling to wear any of them.  Perhaps she ought to muddle through the discomfort to show gratitude. 

 

“I can bring more if these aren’t comfortable,” Amaris said, careful not to let any hems drag in the inch of water upon the floor.  With a frown downward she muttered to herself “Although today I doubt comfort is possible.” As she placed the selection on the bed, Lyra found herself wishing pants were ever an option, but a glance through the wardrobe herself had revealed none.  It seemed the selection left for Amaris was only in aesthetic. 

 

Still, Lyra was stunned to feel the fabric of each option and find no issue.  They were thick and warm, but the fabric still had some give and the seams would still avoid cutting into her as she moved.  Selecting one in a deep fuschia, she turned her attention to the cloaks. Each of them were too billowy in their cut for the fabric to be of any concern, but a plush velvet enticed her most as she ran a hand across it.  

 

Before Lyra had the chance to ask, Amaris paced for the door to the hall.  “I will give you privacy. I should collect lunch anyway,” she said.

 

“But we just had breakfast.”

 

“ _ You _ just had breakfast.  It was brought hours ago, and it’s nearly midday now.”

 

“I slept that late?” Lyra asked with a questioning gaze at the cloudy sky. The storm created the illusion of night. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

 

“Why would I do that?  You were peaceful. Besides, you have no reason to limit the time you take for anything.  I simply collect rations as they are left. It does not dictate when anything else should happen.” 

 

“I guess that’s true,” Lyra said, although it didn’t make the sky’s refusal to confess to the position of the sun any less maddening.  

 

“Only this room and the dining room are without ceilings, by the way.  You do not need to remain under that barrier to avoid the rain,” Amaris said as she opened the door and entered the hall.  This prompted Lyra to follow Amaris out of the room, carefully carrying the dress and cloak with her. She placed them on the dry washroom counter before shutting the door.  

 

The bath Lyra drew was almost scalding compared to the chill in the air.  Feeling none of the urgency she had before, Lyra took time to smell and examine every potion and powder intended for the water.  Anything with an aroma she enjoyed was tossed into the water, until it was a kaleidoscope of color and fragrance. Even the steam matched the prismatic hues.  She placed the old dress out of harm’s way and removed her shoes, wincing as her bare feet came into contact with the icy water on the floor. 

 

Once she was in the bath she realized she wouldn’t be ready to leave for eons.  The water was a blissful temperature, but every drop upon her skin became a beacon for frost when she tried to sit up.  She sighed, and tried not to let the dread of removing herself from the tub deter her from enjoying the time she soaked.   

 

Nyx winced as a patch of rain ambushed them upon entering the cell.  The look in their eyes was almost pity as Amaris landed before them, shedding a waterfall from her scales with a quick flick of her wings.  Without being asked they had brought the usual tray of food for Lyra, and the least offensive corpses for Amaris. “Thank you, Nyx.” curiosity filled their eyes again as Amaris ignored the tray of food in favor of nearly rancid meat.  

 

By the time she had finished eating, Nyx had still not left, and the curiosity seemed to burden their features.  “Uhm… I don’t know if I want to know the answer… but… I keep wondering…. What happened to the woman before me?”

 

Amaris froze.  “I… I killed her,” she finally asserted, dreadful as the words were.  She anticipated a look of horror to cross Nyx’s face, but their brow only furrowed in disbelief. 

 

“Then why do you keep asking for human meals?”

 

Her eyes widened with concern at that, and she flashed her fangs as she doubled down, “She was so desperate for mercy she brought me decadent offerings from the kitchen.  Nothing was quite as scrumptious as her, however. I soon realized I can simply demand the same offerings from any servant, so there was no need to leave such a temptation unclaimed.”  Amaris hated that she would be unhappy with any response Nyx gave to this. Should Nyx believe her, the promise not to frighten them would be impossible to uphold. Just the monstrous words she spoke would be enough to bring them terror at the sight of her.  Yet she couldn’t let them believe Lyra was alive either; the disbelief in their eyes must be quelled.

 

“I… You’re lying.  You’re not eating the human meals you’re asking me to bring, and they’re too small to be more than crumbs to you… I think you’re keeping her somewhere.” Amaris’s eyes widened with shock and quickly narrowed with suspicion.  “I won’t tell anyone,” they continued, “It would be wasted effort anyway; it’s not like anyone would help her... But… Is she ok? Are you… hurting her?”

 

The most agonizing part of those words were the merit with which they had been asked.  It was enough to render the ruse impossible to maintain, “I would never harm her. I simply need the humans to think she is dead, or they might....” She trailed off.  

 

“They’ll just order you to kill her if they know she’s alive, won’t they?” Nyx uttered the words as they occurred to them.  They fell oddly quiet for a moment, gazing with dread at the floor.

 

“I would be forced to obey.  They must believe she is dead.”

 

“Well, your plan is working.  They’ve replaced her, which is their equivalent of burying her.  But… What happens if they get sick of  _ me  _ being alive?”

 

“Have you already outlived those before you?”  Amaris began to feel dizzy; she’d been so comfortable hating Nyx, she hadn’t thought of how they faced danger identical to Lyra’s.  It was a comfort she only noticed upon its disappearance. 

 

Nyx nodded.  “The guards seem happy about it for now; they like me.  I actually have friends out there, so I don’t think they’ll be as eager to do away with me as they were with her.  I’ll have my friends let me know if people start getting impatient. But I don’t think I’ll have forever. Probably a few days at most.”

 

Amaris sighed.  “I will leave the timing to your judgment.  But I suppose I can make accommodations for more humans…”  the words tasted acidic. Being surrounded by humans was the last thing she wanted.  But refusing to intervene would only make her an executioner by command. “When you feel unsafe, stay in the cell and wait for them to replace you.  I suppose the next replacement will bring meals for two humans, until we must hide them as well, and the next can bring three…” 

 

She refused to mention the glaring flaws in her plan, but a cursory thought of the logistics said it all; Nyx only managed to sneak away meals by claiming they preferred to eat alone in their cell.  Already eyebrows raised at the amount of food they claimed to eat for every meal. Even doubling the amount would raise suspicion impossible to quell, let alone tripling it. Nyx nodded solemnly, and began the countdown until the ruse was discovered and Amaris failed to save anyone.  

 

Without waiting for Nyx to leave this time, Amaris shifted to her humanoid form.  They squawked like a hen at the shock, and couldn’t move their eyes. “You…” they failed to utter another word.  Amaris took the tray from them and left silently. She supposed it would only be a matter of time before humans other than Lyra saw this form, so it was hardly worth hiding, although she didn’t wish to explain her stylistic choices or the reasons behind them.

 

When Amaris returned to the bedroom and placed the tray on the nightstand, the heavy perfumes from the washroom and sound of water slowly shifting in time with relaxed breaths notified her that it would be a while before Lyra returned.  As if she managed to be in the room anyway, Lyra’s voice echoed in Amaris’s head. She cautiously plucked a piece of stuffed bread from the tray to wash the foul taste from her mouth, and finding the grey sky boring, decided to sleep away the wait.

 

Only hours passed before Amaris had become hungry enough to settle for the old meat the humans left her, but days passed without another meal.  Amaris assumed the humans must have decided to let her starve after all, painting themselves the victims after her last attacks. Amaris snarled at the emptiness.  She wandered past a small corridor, one she could only fit through in human form. 

 

The thought brought forth a hiss.  She would never humiliate herself by taking such a vile form again.  She aimed for this corridor and unleashed a massive ball of fire, the scope of which ended just before the rooms she was forbidden from destroying. It erupted through the stone to the surface, creating a massive spherical cavern as the molten stone cooled.  Amaris watched as water began to pour over the side of the window she’d created to the sky. She supposed she must have been beneath a body of water. 

 

Thankful for the task to distract her from the daggers that tore her up within, Amaris was far more precise with her fire as she melted a deep basin into the floor for the water to pool in. The water evaporated when it came within a meter of the flames.  She turned her head slowly as she exhaled to create a small channel for the water to rush back out through the nearest wall. 

 

While the entrance to the cell was within the king’s palace, the opening Amaris created was miles away, a sudden burst of fire exploding from the face of a mountain, swiftly followed by the creation of a small waterfall down it.  Amaris peered out of the openings she had made. As far as she could tell while being unable to move her head through them, she had created a minor detour for a river, the waterfall that once rushed straight down the mountain filling her cell with the sound of movement before flowing to its original destination.  

 

The hunger did not take over her mind for a moment as she examined her handiwork, and for the first time in years, she felt proud of something she had done.  She hadn’t realized how sorely missed sunlight was until it flowed into the cell in larger amounts than ever before. The water almost spoke to her, any sound a love confession if it spared her silence.  Human architecture had been obliterated from this space. Amaris felt almost relaxed to be in a place that felt it could have belonged to her. She laid next to the waterfall and wondered if she could spare herself some of the agonizing wait for her starvation by sleeping through it.

 

“Do not allow your fire to extend past your cell,” the command assaulted Amaris’s mind, and a frigid fire boiled her blood into ice.  The tone had been scolding, as if she was a child. Rage and humiliation battled over her. How dare a human condescend to a dragon! Amaris should slit their throat for it.  Any dragon would, yet she couldn’t. She was a titan slowly being consumed by a swarm of ants. 

 

The door to the cell creaked.  Amaris took flight. She was silent this time.  It had been too long since her last prey to allow any chance for this one to escape.  This time only one human stood beside a cart of almost rancid meat. She could see the hopelessness on their face as they peered cautiously around, as if they would ever see the danger before it was too late.  “Uh… dragon?” The human timidly called out. 

 

Amaris was too angry to even bother killing this one slowly.  She swallowed them whole before they realized her jaws were upon them.  

 

She had a fucking name.  

 

“Amaris?”  Lyra’s voice rescued her from the recollection.  Amaris couldn’t bear to look up at her. “Did you have another nightmare?”  Amaris was unsure if that description fit. She only remembered being a nightmare.  Her skin crawled at the imagery from her dreams, as if her victims had waited for the opportunity to avenge themselves in memory.  “Is something wrong?” Her voice was closer now. Amaris refused to gaze upon her still. She searched for the words to describe what a waste the concern in Lyra’s voice was, although she knew her warnings would fall on deaf ears.  Still, allowing Lyra to attempt to console her was the last thing she deserved. 

 

“I am fine,” Amaris said with an unconvincing smile.

 

“That’s a lie.” Amaris felt the weight upon the bed shift as Lyra sat next to her.  The comfort of her scent was unforgivable. A soft hand rested on her shoulder. “Are you sure you shouldn’t talk about it?”

 

“I deserve to feel like this.”

 

“I disagree.”

 

“You don’t understand.”

 

“Maybe I don’t,” Lyra sighed.  “I just don’t see who this is helping.  Wasn’t the isolation punishment enough? Do you need to torture yourself?”  

 

“I don’t know if there is punishment enough to atone.”

 

“Nobody atones through punishment.  You’re moving forward, and that’s all anyone can do.”

 

“You should really stop that.”

 

“Stop what?”

 

“Making me feel better.  I really don’t deserve it.”

 

“And I’ll believe that when the person you regret being returns. But that won’t happen. So I’m going to try to make you feel better.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I care about you, and I can’t just sit around and watch someone I care about suffer.”

 

Before she could stop herself, Amaris’s eyes had met Lyra’s.  She was far too magnificent of a treasure to belong here, the sight of her warm amber eyes a sin for Amaris to behold.  Yet she couldn’t look away. Her heart stopped at the confessions which traced along Lyra’s lips, the longing in her eyes.  Her words were without a hint of dishonesty. Amaris became aware she was not the only one who felt as if invisible threads pulled them closer.  It brought undeserved bliss which was followed with swift heartbreak. For something vile as her to hold any place in such a delicate heart was to imprison an angel.  

 

When Lyra offered her embrace, Amaris collapsed into her arms regardless of whether she had the right to.  Tears surprised them both; Amaris had thought she was holding them back well. It was as if Lyra had given them permission to fall. “You are too kind to me.”  Amaris wished she was not so weak, that she could quit wasting Lyra’s sympathy, that she could quit trespassing in heaven’s arms. She could do nothing but sob.

 

“Let me be too kind, then.  I want you to be happy.” At any other moment Amaris would have scoffed, declaring herself too far gone for such a thought, which was irrelevant anyway due to their imprisonment.  In this moment Amaris imagined it possible, as long as she could return to Lyra’s arms when she longed to. The thought was unbearably selfish. 

 

A shiver through Lyra’s body caused Amaris to leap back, ready to eat her own hands in apology.  “It’s just cold,” Lyra said, pulling the blanket over her shoulders with a reassuring smile at Amaris.  Relief crossed Amaris’s face, although she did not return to the bed. “I think it might help if we held each other once more,” Lyra said with a faint blush.  She was unfamiliar enough with such expressions to nearly avoid mention of it, but she already missed Amaris’s gentle touch.

 

Amaris returned to the bed, pulling the covers over herself as well to trap as much heat as possible.  She took care to place her hands only where they would reveal no hint of her lust as she wrapped her arms delicately around Lyra.  Desire filled the air again, Lyra’s pulse racing at her touch regardless. Amaris held her breath. Her own heart joined the race, every inch of skin which touched Lyra agonizingly alive as she was deathly still.  Her eyes darted to Lyra’s, who held them with quiet anticipation. For a moment she realized if she were to ask, she might have anything she didn’t deserve. Amaris’s grip tightened gently as Lyra pulled herself closer. She bit her tongue to hold it.

 

Fantasies of tearing her clothes away, tracing every detail of her heavenly body with her lips, kneeling at her altar so that she may pray to taste divinity, became vivid enough to nearly replace reality. Lust was not unfamiliar to Amaris, but she had never longed in such a way before.  She became aware that her eyes were declaring this when a shy grin turned into an inviting, daring smile at the corners of Lyra’s lips. 

 

Lyra tilted her face up towards Amaris’s, and leaned in slowly.  Amaris’s heart skipped. Their lips met. Amaris returned the kiss as if she had never known love before.  She felt tension leave Lyra’s body, melting into her arms. In a language of pheromones and touch, Lyra begged to be hers.  Amaris’s heart soared, but she quickly clipped its wings. This couldn’t possibly mean to Lyra what it meant to her. Perhaps it was even intended for only this moment.  Amaris pulled away. 

 

“Please… Don’t tease me.”

 

“I wasn’t teasing,” Lyra was breathless, her eyes full of stars.  Amaris had written her sonnets in the motions of her lips, and though it had only been for a moment, Lyra had read volumes.  She had been lost in fantasies of Amaris taking her to heights she had never known. 

 

“You don’t understand. I have been in solitude for thousands of years.  My desire for you is potent as venom. I will not be sated in a night. I do not wish to entertain such emotions if they are temporary- I will only ever long for more.”

 

“This doesn’t feel temporary,” Lyra murmured.  “I’m not going anywhere.”

 

“You would have me as your mate?” The tone sounded like a proposal for marriage.  Lyra thought of vows she had heard repeated in secret uncertainty many times before.  The thought of it always caused the hair on her arms to stand on end; weddings were only ever funerals for the potential of her friends.  Proposals were simply a sentencing. Yet the thought of sharing a life with Amaris, no matter where it was, felt nothing like those memories.  The offer in her voice brought Lyra to life, and she would cherish this one.

 

“Yes.”  Amaris nearly pounced upon her, their lips meeting as if they’d missed one another since time began.  

 

“Lyra…” Amaris murmured the name with reverence, “You have replaced the sun.”  Her hands roamed as Lyra began to unbutton her dress, clumsily as she hoped only to remove one hand from Amaris’s body.  With a playful growl and a swift motion of Amaris’s hand Lyra was revealed, shreds of fabric scattered around her like rose petals.  As soon as Lyra attempted to remove Amaris’s strange dress, it was gone, leaving a surprised look in her eyes.

 

“Did you forget I shapeshift?”  A wild look crossed her face and pulled the corners of her mouth into a sensual grin, “Ready to see what such an ability can do for you?” Lyra found herself breathless in anticipation as Amaris’s lips met hers again.  Lyra pulled Amaris closer, tangling her fingers in her hair as she matched Amaris’s intensity. This time no force in Hell could draw them away from one another.

 

Time was not acknowledged in the shelter they’d found in one another.  In the throes of passion Lyra called out Amaris’s name. It was a melody which made all other sounds obscene. 


	12. Chapter 12

Exhaustion granted Lyra a luxurious descent into slumber as she lay in Amaris’s arms.  Amaris was far too alive to close her eyes for a moment. She couldn’t avert her gaze from Lyra, her elegant face at astonishing ease in Amaris’s embrace.  As if she never knew what Amaris was. Amaris tossed wildly between shock and awe, satisfaction and desire, bliss back to disbelief. 

 

More than anything, the guilt which had been brushed aside by Lyra’s hands returned with vengeance.  Monsters do not fall in love with the precious maiden. They do not deserve her; they merely have her until she is whisked happily away to the life she deserves.  They become the horrible recollection which sets such a bar for misery, the maiden cherishes her newfound joy more than anyone else can fathom. Amaris knew deep down, if Lyra could be free tomorrow, this would simply become a nightmare survived long ago.     
  
Amaris’s heart broke; she wanted nothing more than Lyra.  She wasn’t stealing her away from anyone or anywhere; Lyra would be sleeping alone in another part of the cell if not here with her.  Yet she couldn’t help but feel evil to claim such a wonder for herself, for a monster like her to dare touch her, call her beloved. Every moment Amaris cherished was at the expense of Lyra’s freedom.  It was a terrible thing for the monster to find a happier ending than the maiden. Another terrible thing the world dealt to Lyra.    
  


“Amaris!”  Nyx’s voice demanded of the cell, too far in the distance for human ears to perceive.  The urgency in their tone filled Amaris with unease. She jerked upright, her heartbeat rising.

 

At the sudden movement from Amaris, Lyra partially woke.  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

 

“I think I have to speak with your replacement— Nyx, I mean.  I hear them calling. It sounds urgent,” Amaris whispered with a soft kiss to her forehead.

 

“Do you really have to get out of bed?”  The soft moan was temptation to call this bed her new home, to forget about guilt or obligation as she explored ecstasy once again.  It took all Amaris had to resist.

 

“They may need assistance.  The humans may have threatened them,” Amaris whispered.

 

Lyra sighed, but did not argue. The air of the cell was arctic compared to the warmth of her touch as Amaris climbed out from under the covers.  Once she was out of the room a frown crossed her face. She moved quickly.

 

“Amaris, I need to talk to you!”  Nyx called as Amaris shifted and took flight, closing the distance between them.  The tone was that of one prepared for battle. 

 

Amaris landed with enough distance to reduce the gale force of her landing upon the stone to a gentle breeze across Nyx.  A quiet fire smoldered in their eyes as they clenched their jaw, their face marked as if they had taken their notes upon it.  They carried a large canvas bag. Two cantines clattered against their hips as they walked toward Amaris with determination.

 

“I’ve found a way to escape.  That woman you’re keeping here, you have to let her go.  You can’t just—“

 

“She can be set free?”  The way Amaris’s eyes filled with wonder punctuated the arguments Nyx had prepared, “Do you require my aid?”

 

After a stunned pause, Nyx nodded. “I have the incantation for the spell which binds us here.  A friend got it for me… They said if I could translate it somehow, it could be undone.”

 

Nyx was stunned into silence again at the reception of such news: Amaris gawked as if they had revealed the path to salvation. “I can alter the incantation’s meaning…”

 

“That’s it?”

 

Amaris smirked.  “Did you think spells are kept secret for nothing?  It is all channeled through words, words which can be stolen and twisted when shared.  Recite the incantation to me.”

 

Nyx complied, reciting memorized syllables; the language was long dead, it seemed.  Perhaps stolen by a forgotten king. Amaris seemed to speak it; Nyx recognized a large portion of it as their memorization, but fluent changes had been made.  Amaris’s markings glowed along with her eyes as she spoke. Nyx felt an odd rush of warm air pass over them, and heard the sound of glass breaking in their ears.  

 

Nyx began to pace in the direction Amaris had flown from.  “Amaris?” They said as she began to follow, “There’s something else.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Be more careful moving forward.  I’m here because the council decided they would order you to kill me if I wasn’t dead by dinner; they aren’t nearly as patient as I thought.  And… did… you kill a guard? And a captain? They’re looking for them…”

 

Amaris’s eyes widened, “Do they suspect anything?”

 

“I don’t think they can fathom you disobeying them yet…  but you’ve let two people last longer than expected now, I keep getting asked why I’m bringing so much food to eat alone in my cell… They noticed one guard seemed to be in an odd trance.  The captain just seemed to vanish shortly after mentioning that girl… You’re leaving loose ends. They’re ruling out every other option first, but eventually they’re going to look toward you.  And it won’t be long after that before you’re found out.” 

 

Amaris’s blood froze. “Your replacements won’t linger,” she reassured herself more than Nyx, “I will send them off as they arrive.  To the human’s knowledge, not a single servant will survive more than one meal. They will have no reason to suspect me of sparing anyone.”

 

The pace at which Nyx walked was maddening.  Amaris wished to return to Lyra immediately. She reached out to pick Nyx up, who squawked and leapt back, “What are you doing?”

 

“I’ll have to carry you if we are to fly to our destination.”

 

“Oh god no,” Nyx said, already becoming dizzy, “I hate heights.  I don’t want to fly anywhere.”

 

The realization that Lyra could feel the same way cut Amaris.  She never asked Lyra if flight was tolerable. “My apologies.” 

 

A look of relief fell upon Amaris’s back as she paced quickly forward, “I think I shall return first to break the news to her... Keep walking in this direction.  You will encounter us soon.”

 

Amaris took off immediately.  She was back in her “human” form before her feet touched the ground, reaching the door to the bedroom in a few bounds. 

 

At the sound of the door opening Lyra smiled, her heart racing in anticipation of the eternity they had promised one another.  She wished to fall back into Amaris’s arms as all else faded away. As she opened her eyes, Lyra froze. Bliss and heartbreak were ominous upon Amaris’s face as she stepped into the room.  Lyra’s stomach lurched at the sight. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing is wrong.  It’s the best thing that could have happened…” Amaris refused to let the blurs in her vision drip down her face.  Pity for her would only cloud things. “Nyx will be here shortly. You’re escaping now. They’ll accompany you as you travel to the shore and leave this horrid place behind.”

 

It took a moment for such jarring words to set in.  Eternity had been ahead of them moments ago. She never expected such a swift end to it.  Lyra gawked as Amaris did all she could to retain her composure. “Head for the sea, and cross it.  Start a new life, one you deserve.”

 

“I don’t want to be anywhere without you,” Lyra said, “You’re the only one I’ve ever—-“

 

“I am not human.  And I exist in a cage.  Humans require one another.  They require freedom. I cannot keep you here to wither,” Amaris avoided Lyra’s eyes as she pleaded in them.

 

Lyra shook her head.  “I don’t want to be around them anymore.  I just want to be with you.” Once Lyra began to tear up Amaris could hardly stifle her sobs.  

 

“They’ll find out about you eventually.  Even if they didn’t, you would still age and perish in the tomb they assigned you.  I can’t allow that.” Without being aware of such an action, she had crossed the space between them and pulled Lyra into her arms.  “You deserve better than this.”

 

“So do you,” Lyra insisted, “You shouldn’t be alone.”

 

“My imprisonment cannot be helped.  You have the chance to walk free. I will not allow pity for me to rob you of opportunity.”

 

“It’s not pity.  I love you, Amaris.”

 

“I love you as well; so I wish for your happiness.  You won’t find it here.” 

 

“That’s not for you to decide,” Lyra said.  Her eyes ignited and Amaris faced a shrike once more.  It was a respectable creature she hopelessly outmatched.

 

“I won’t let you throw away your chance to live a happy, human life for me.  I won’t let you stay.”

 

Nyx’s footsteps approached the hall.  Lyra crossed her arms in a way which emphasized her bare chest, and glared.  With a snap of Amaris’s fingers, she was dressed regardless. Amaris lifted Lyra from the bed as she tried to thrash out of her grip.  “Amaris! Put me down! I hate it out there!” Lyra shouted, “I won’t find happiness or anything of the sort. I’ll just miss you!”

 

“You have strength, Lyra.  You will find your place in the world.”  Amaris opened the door to meet Nyx. 

 

Their eyes widened in horror at the sight of the tiny woman struggling against the formidable, hardly human enough form.  From her movements she seemed to be using all of her strength, but it appeared to put no strain on Amaris. “I’m not going with you,” she added with a scowl in Nyx’s direction.  Horror became confusion as Nyx demanded an explanation in their expression.

 

“She does not wish to leave,” Amaris sniffed, “May I ask you to travel alongside her?  She’ll need someone to keep her company.” She began her somber march for the entrance to the hall.  Nyx nodded, and followed in quiet shock at the thought of any soul wishing to remain here.

 

“You can’t just switch yourself out!”  Lyra roared, her efforts to pry Amaris’s fingers from her in vain.  They reached the massive cavern. The waterfall roared alongside her.  

 

“I am not all there is for you,” Amaris said as she placed Lyra gingerly on the ground.  She shifted to her true form and blocked the entrance to the hall with a massive set of talons before Lyra could scurry back in.

 

“I think it has been longer than a human lifespan since I was told not to alter my cell…” Amaris couldn’t bear to look at the enraged tears pouring down Lyra’s face as she focused on sinking a claw through the wall near the channel of water.  The sight of how smoothly she sliced a small opening into the stone caused Nyx to shudder. 

 

The opening revealed a verdant ledge on the face of a cliff, one Nyx recognized from the waterfall which poured down it- they were many miles away from the castle they entered from.  Nyx glanced around at the cell, boggling at the proof of its size. They supposed the soreness of their feet and the hours it had taken to encounter Amaris should have been evidence enough of the space traversed to reach these depths.  The repetitive nature of the dim surroundings, however, created the feeling that one had never moved an inch no matter how far they wandered. 

 

“I’m not going!” The woman shouted again, bringing Nyx’s focus back to her.  Astonishment crossed Nyx’s face at such a ferocious challenge to the massive beast.  

 

“You must.”  With a tearful, angry look the woman tried to run.  Amaris picked her up in a set of talons before she could get far, “You deserve freedom.”

 

“I want you,” She was beginning to sob.

 

“I am not what you need.”  Amaris nodded at the opening for Nyx to step out first.  Once they had disappeared into the sunlight, Amaris placed Lyra at the edge of the threshold, and pushed her the remaining few inches by pressing her palm flat against the opening she created.

 

“Let me back in!”  Lyra’s voice trembled with desperation.  Amaris let the tears fall now that nobody would see them.  

 

“Nyx, move her back.”  Lyra shrieked as arms hooked under her shoulders and lifted her off the ground, pulling her a safe distance from the blue flames which burst from Amaris’s palm.  The stone around it melted to seal the opening. 

 

Lyra slammed a heel into Nyx’s knee, causing them to howl in pain as they dropped her.  She fell to her knees as she stared at the molten glow which concealed Amaris. To think at this moment she expected to lie in the arms of her lover.  The air mocked her with a frigid breeze across her cheeks. Her emotions were a fog around her head, a ringing growing in her ears. 

 

Nyx scowled as they rubbed their knee, wincing.  They supposed it was foolish to assume this woman’s stature would make her less of a menace.  Her eyes had a terrifying wilderness, as if the dragon had poisoned her with its presence. Nyx sighed, supposing it would be up to them to heal the damage.  “Hey… Uh… Do you have a name?”

 

The woman just glared at them.  “No,” the sarcasm in her voice was piercing, “My parents thought names were tacky so I was never given one.”

 

“Okay.” Nyx sighed. “Well, according to the map I stole—“  As soon as they retrieved it from their bag, the woman leapt to her feet and snatched it from their hands.  Without another word she glanced around and began to head off in the wrong direction. 

 

“The shore is that way,” Nyx pointed toward the distant call of the sea.  When the woman took no note of them and continued to storm forward, they ran to close the distance between them before matching her pace.  The woman avoided their eyes, which they supposed was a blessing, given the way they hacked at everything they did fall upon.

 

“You can go wherever the hell you want,” she grumbled, “I’m going to that castle and I’m setting Amaris free.”  

 

“Are you insane?  We just escaped from there!”

 

“And only one of us did so willingly.”

 

“What is your problem?  It’s a sunny day, do you not feel the breeze?  Why would you want to stay down there?” Nyx glanced from the sapphire sky to the emerald forest as if they might chime in.

 

“Know what else is out here?  People. The same people who sentenced me to death.”  Lyra scowled around at the skeletal trees, branches like fingers reaching out to block the sun’s warmth with their leaves.  

 

“That’s why we’re going to the coast,” Nyx asserted, “We’re going to settle in amongst new people.  People who won’t hurt us.”

 

“And even if I did meet these imaginary people, the woman I love is still rotting in a cell,” the woman stormed, “Do you not understand?  Could you live happily knowing someone you love is suffering?”

 

“ _ Love?”  _ Nyx gawked.  “She’s a  _ dragon.   _ You’re just prey to her.”

 

“You don’t know her like I do.”

 

“I know she threatened to eat me several times, that she’s eaten everyone before us!”

 

“She’s changed.”

 

“Maybe you just haven’t seen what—“

 

“I almost died the first time I walked into that cell.  I am not ignorant of her past.”

 

“Then how can you be standing here spouting off things wild as love?”

 

“I forgave her.”

 

“How?”

 

“I’m not going to defend myself to you.  I don’t care if you understand. And I don’t care if you don’t forgive her.  You can think whatever you want. I’m going back.” 

 

“Just… can you stop to consider for a second that you might get yourself killed?  We could leave for a happy life right now, and you’re considering risking it on a dragon.”

 

“I’m not considering anything,” the woman snapped as she began to speed up her pace.  

 

There was a moment where the only sound was the woman’s determined footfalls across dead twigs.  With a heavy sigh Nyx’s footsteps followed. “I don’t get it,” they said, “But I promised I wouldn’t leave you to wander alone.”

 

“If you hate her so much, why are you doing as she asked?” Lyra snapped over her shoulder.  She was eager to part ways with their protests, and hoped to exhaust them with argument.

 

“I think you’re the reason she spared me.  So I think it’s important that I keep my promise to aid you,” Nyx said, although their tone was blatant in its withholding of any fondness toward Lyra.  It was clear in their eyes she was becoming quite an annoyance. She glared back.

 

“Well  _ I  _ didn’t ask you to follow me around, and I don’t need someone giving me that look all day.  I get it. You want to let Amaris rot. I’m a big pain for refusing to do that. You don’t have to be around me.  I’d rather be alone than with unwilling company.”

 

“I’m just—“

 

“I don’t care who asked you to do what.  Nobody cared to ask what I wanted. Go find your people to live amongst.  I’m sick of them all.”

 

“Does it not bother you to talk like that?”

 

“Of course it does, but I’m right.  What would you have me do, let optimism make me an easy target?”

 

“Humans aren’t all bad.”

 

“Oh sure.”  

 

Nyx glared at the sarcasm oozing from her voice.  “You sound just like her. All humans are so evil, better to just hate them all forever, and I’m just so stupid for not abandoning my entire species.” 

 

“What, should I lie?”

 

“It’s not a lie to think there are good people out there.”

 

“Fine, it’s not a lie, it’s a delusion.”

 

“Hey, you’re talking to another human, you know.  You’re calling me everything you’re calling them.”

 

“I know,” the woman’s eyes narrowed at them in suspicion.

 

“Oh so you just hate me on sight.  Really makes you different from the others, huh?”

 

“ _ I don’t care about any of that! _  I don’t care if I’m better or worse or wrong or right, I just want to be left alone!  Let me go disappear into a little pit of how awful and wrong I am while you go off to your happy little life.  I’m done with humanity.”

 

“How could you say that?”

 

“Shut up.”  Lyra stormed through a thorned bush, hardly wincing as her skin was cut.  Nyx’s insistence on navigating around the obstacle put some distance between them, but to her disdain, Nyx followed regardless.  “Stop following me. I don’t need someone buzzing in my ear telling me how screwed up I am. I know. I never asked for you to approve of me, so quit acting like it’s such a travesty that you don’t.”

 

The tone of her voice silenced Nyx’s rebuttal.  Through the fire in her stare pain was nearly impossible to see.  The way she snapped with such confidence made it unimaginable, but the truth revealed itself in her voice.  Nyx realized they must be growing hurtful, but she must consider such a thing to be intentional, as she was determined to hide it.  “I wasn’t calling you screwed up,” Nyx said, their tone approaching an apology.

 

She glared as she spoke, “I’m not blind to tone.  You’re speaking to me like an imbecile, or a nutcase.  As if I couldn’t possibly have any reason to feel how I do.”

 

“I just… to hate all humans…”

 

“How old were you the first time someone threatened to rape you?” The question was answered with silence, and Lyra scowled as she continued, “You keep acting like you’ve seen something I don’t, but have you considered that maybe I feel this way because I’ve seen more than you?  You’re unaware of the danger in others. That leaves you defenseless, while I am a fortress.” The look in Nyx’s eyes became pitiful, and Lyra turned away in rejection of it.

 

“You’re safe around me, at least,” Nyx offered, their voice softening.

 

“Everyone says that,” the woman hissed as if threatened, “Especially when they want to hurt you.”

 

“I just want to help.”  

 

“And how do I know your help won’t hurt?  Everyone always thinks they’re helping. They’ll drown you saying it’s so kind of them to spare you from your life.”

 

Exasperated, Nyx was almost begging now, “What am I supposed to do to prove I’m different?”

 

“Nothing a monster couldn’t easily feign.”

 

“So you’re just never going to trust another human again?  That’s your solution? How am I supposed to help you if you won’t trust me?”

 

“I never claimed to have any solutions, and if this is the hill you’re going to die on, then prepare to share my grave,” she snapped, “I’m just trying to survive.  I don’t know the answers to your questions and it’s not on my mind to seek them out. You ask me how you’re supposed to fix me? I don’t know or care. I never asked you to bother.  I told you already. I’m tired. I want to be left alone.”

 

“Okay, I get it,” Nyx finally huffed, “Everyone is evil and we’re clearly not moving past that today.  And I’ll stop talking about it, I guess, but I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep. Amaris asked me to accompany you.  So you won’t be rid of me yet.” 

 

“I can live with the not talking part,” she said as she stormed forward.  

 

Once the voices were muffled by the distance, Amaris ceased her hold over her own.  Her sobbing sounded like the tearing of flesh the way it echoed around her. Amaris could think of nothing she wanted more at the moment than to sleep, for hours to disappear without her having to wait them out.  

 

The attempt at sleep was agonizing.  As she curled up against the wall she had sent her salvation through, Lyra was an image suspended against her eyelids, her voice a melody which would not stop playing in her head.  Her scent lingered as a saccharine ghost. Desperate for relief, Amaris bit her own tongue, injecting as much venom as she could. It did its job; she was numb, and then unconscious.


	13. Chapter 13

Nyx was soon amazed by the strain the woman put on herself as she traversed the woods.  They had followed a trail along the face of the cliff up to the land it marked the edge of, a feat Nyx had hoped to rest after.  She didn’t even pause to see if they still followed. When Nyx’s legs grew weak, they noticed more labor in each of her steps as well.  When blisters sprouted at the touch of their shoes, they saw drops of blood blossom within the fabric of hers. It did not slow her as she ignored the miles of world to which Nyx was careful witness.

 

Towering trees wrapped in deep maroon bark hosted thick curtains of peacock ivy and violet thorns from their branches.  Mushrooms of various sizes grew throughout, some small multicolored buttons hidden amongst the vegetation, others towering over a ring of decaying trees, their caps reflective in defense from the sun they eclipsed.  Neon flashes of green, yellow, cyan and tangerine alerted of the potent poison peppered throughout the scenery. Grass had been stomped out in competition with resilient coral flowers, their vines a netting along the ground as if created to capsize trespassers.  

 

Every step was occupied by life intent on resistance, and despite their constant avoidance of thorns, Nyx’s shins and forearms were soon littered with cuts.  Hours dragged on both as years and minutes as Nyx’s full attention turned to the tedious labor of travel . 

 

“I think we should set up camp before it gets too dark,” Nyx finally begged out of exhaustion, pleading with the sunset to join their protest, “Don’t forget humans aren’t the only creatures who might wish you harm.”

 

“You can camp wherever you want.”  She didn’t slow her pace.

 

“You won’t save Amaris if a bear eats you,” Nyx’s voice was almost a sigh. 

 

The woman finally paused, and she only said “fine.”

 

Slipping back to consciousness was disorienting after the venom.  Amaris took it as a reminder of what Lyra had suffered, of why the only true apology was her absence.  It took the edge off the images of her anger, the sound of her sobbing as she begged to stay. She was only unable to see the light for now; soon memories of Amaris would be eclipsed by her new life.  

 

The relief that Lyra’s pain would end and the agony that her own wouldn’t were intense in ways that contradicted, but refused to cancel out.  In the distance Amaris heard the door to her cell open. Dutifully she rose to her feet and took flight.

 

The new human stared in confusion at the two carts piled with Amaris’s last meals as they wheeled in the third.  It caused them not to notice Amaris until she had descended upon them. With a shriek they were swept up in her claws.   She turned in midair, ignoring the memory of Nyx pointing flight out as terrifying to some humans; the ordeal would hardly last more than moments.  

 

When Amaris returned to where she had slept, she cut a new opening into the wall of the cell.  For a moment she almost expected Lyra to be waiting there. Once again joy and sorrow refused to dull one another in a way that spared her agony when there was no sign of her.  Even her scent had faded in the breeze, vanished from the cell. 

 

Amaris placed the human near the opening.  They frantically scrambled away. She hardly watched them disappear into the distance.  A loud growl and a jolt of pain reminded Amaris of the food waiting for her. The entrance of the cell seemed too distant to bother with, however.  She bit her own tongue again, and drifted back off to sleep.

 

“Can you please just tell me your name?  It’s starting to feel weird addressing you as ‘you’ constantly.”

 

“Still don’t see why you care,” the woman said as she prowled through briars.  Nyx cautiously stepped around them as they followed, panting. Their determination to keep their promise was tested by the woman’s pace and persistence.  At the first bird’s call she had packed up her supplies, and Nyx had awoken to a groggy rush to catch up as she attempted to disappear into the distance. 

 

“I’m going to make up a name if you don’t give me one,” Nyx threatened at her back, “It’s going to be really stupid, too!”

 

The woman gave no response, glancing at the map, then glowering at the rich forest around her as she decided how to best traverse it.  Nyx waited for her to settle on a route and tuck the map away as they considered potential names.

 

“Alright, Boopsie.”

 

“What did you just call me?”  She glared over her shoulder. The look sent a shiver down Nyx’s spine, although nothing compared to facing Amaris.  

 

They stood their ground.  “Boopsie.”

 

“What kind of name is that?”

 

“Your kind, I guess.”  

 

She simply rolled her eyes and returned to ignoring them.  Nyx sighed. “Do you really have to be like this the whole way?  I haven’t done anything to wrong you.”

 

“You haven’t had the chance.”  Amongst the thorns she took root in, crimson flowers danced like sparks.  She didn’t look back, but the leaves before her eyes flickered like flames in a frigid breeze.  

 

“Seriously?  I’m sorry about whoever hurt you.  But you have to quit acting like it was me.  You can trust me.” A wince punctuated their comforting smile as their movement angered the scratches in their skin, burning where blood met the cold air.

 

“Everyone says that.”

 

“Fine then, suppose I’m bad as everyone else, how am I going to hurt you?  Hand you over to authorities that would arrest me alongside you? Get my nose broken picking a fight?”

 

She didn’t respond.  

 

“Amaris trusts me,” Nyx said, stopping to give pause to the antagonization of the thorns, “And she hates everyone.  I’m not asking to be friends, and I won’t ask you again to trust me. But… can you stop? You’re just being cruel. I haven’t done anything to warrant being treated like this.”

 

The woman paused for a moment.  “My name is Lyra.” She took off as if to flee from weakness.  Nyx sighed. Coming from her, they supposed that must have meant something.  

 

Amaris was unsure how much time had passed since she went under, but the sound of the cell door opening rose her groggily to her feet.  A groan was her retort to the sound, as she wished only to return to her slumber. Amaris nearly crashed several times in flight, hardly noticing the searing pain from her wing smashing through a stone pillar, or the way it ached with every movement after.  She landed unsteadily before the human and reached out to pluck them off the ground.

 

In her drowsiness, Amaris missed.  The way the human screamed as they scurried away made another attempt difficult.  Amaris sighed. “I am not doing this to hurt you.”

 

“So what, you’re killing me for fun?” The human snapped.  Their face immediately twisted in regret at letting such a retort fly.  

 

“I am not going to harm you.  I am going to fly you to the exit,” Amaris said flatly.  She realized how unbelievable it sounded, though she was unsure how to make it believable.  She had almost resigned to simply allow the human to panic when they responded.

 

“There’s a way out?”  The human stared suspiciously at Amaris.  After a moment, a resigned look crossed their face, their eyes resting on vicious talons.  “I guess not believing you wouldn’t save me if you were lying… Can I… walk there?” 

 

“I can guide you on foot.  It will be a long walk.” Amaris swiftly turned and began a march slow enough for the human to fall in line with.  The quiet terror upon the human’s face and the bravery each of their words required were becoming unbearable to observe.  Amaris wished to return to harmless silence.

 

“Thank you,” the confusion was not gone from their tone, and in it there was still a request for explanation, but Amaris ignored this.

 

“I am only walking you in a straight line.”

 

“Yeah but… I was supposed to die.  And you’re the reason it didn’t happen.  So thank you.” She paused. “Do you have a name?”

 

“Amaris.  May I ask for yours?”  Amaris kept her promise to herself.

 

“Kerys.”  Amaris realized she wouldn’t have opportunity to even use the name before Kerys left, unless she instigated conversation she had no desire to maintain.  She wondered if she’d simply wasted Kerys’s breath.

 

“So that makes two rumors proved false so far,” her voice was growing confident as the menace faded from the air, “It seems nothing I know of you is true.”

 

“The worst of it is,” Amaris mourned.

 

“Oh.”  Kerys was quiet for hours.  They were saved from silence by her lively footfalls, which were heavy despite her diminutive form.  With a slightly longer glance than she’d bothered with before, Amaris decided diminutive was only a descriptor a monster like her would use.  Kerys likely towered over other humans. Her limbs and torso were thick in response to a laborious existence. 

 

Despite Amaris’s massive form, her footfalls were silent as a specter.  She walked as if ashamed to touch her shadow, betraying gravity in her endeavor to make contact brief and light as possible.  She avoided sound as if any contribution from her would only be a corruption of silence. 

 

Kerys was about to say something as they stepped into the cavern Amaris had carved, but her attention was captured by the waterfall, and flowed to the escape route Amaris had promised.  Thunder filled her footfalls as she sprinted the remaining distance, throwing her arms out and turning her face up to greet the sun which eagerly kissed her skin. It had hardly been noticeable before, but her hair turned a glimmering copper in the light.  An echo of her brilliant grin flashed across Amaris’s face for a moment.

 

“Thank you, Amaris!” Kerys nearly sang.  A child appeared from within the lines time had lavished upon her face to mark the accomplishment of age.  The fabrics of her clothing fluttered like butterfly wings as she frolicked out of view.

 

Teeth were already drawing blood as Amaris injected venom until the effects of it rendered her incapable.  That phrase once belonged to Lyra. 

 

The trees thinned as Lyra and Nyx approached the city.  It was a rather modest maze of small homes in a large ring, surrounding an outer core of shops and merchant booths with crowds flowing like liquid around them.  The castle formed the core, a stark white slab of marble carved to convey power in the absence of design. It towered like a ghoul’s fever dream over the otherwise innocuous settlement. 

 

Nyx froze at the sight, as if guards were already in pursuit.  “I think this is as far as I go…” They glanced at Lyra with concern, “Don’t get caught.”

 

“Thank you for caring if I do.”  For a moment Nyx swore they saw a smile.

 

They watched her leave without another word.  Before they could wish for long that they could have made an impact, they decided it was never their responsibility.  Nyx wished her well as they followed the map back toward the sea. 

 

White cobblestone had been heavily tarnished over the years, leaving only hints of their original hue in the cracks between them.  The dingy, brown slate color echoed the deep wood of the modest homes she passed far too well. Their shingles lacked any hue but their value left them nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the building.  The monotone surroundings brought memory of the days Lyra expected to die. Dread pooled in her footprints as the panic rose within her. She looked desperately around for anything to provide contrast, but found no relief.  

 

When Lyra reached the commercial center, she was jostled by the crowd flowing through the veins of the city.  Sales pitches disguised as compliments were barked either at her or other passerby as she navigated her way closer to the heart.  She took no mind of them, and in doing so examined her new surroundings. 

 

Routinely polished white cobblestone was in brilliant contrast to the brick buildings, which were painted in analogous shades of vibrant blue and green.  Gold lettering flashed across violet and magenta banners bearing the royal insignia. They nearly ignited at Lyra’s gaze.

 

Fanfare was blurted from gilded horns as a dark carriage drawn by stark white horses nearly ran Lyra over.  It rumbled a few feet past and stopped. The driver clambered from their post to the door and held it open with a bow.  The clanking of metal alerted Lyra to the growing numbers of guards arriving to greet the occupant of the chariot. She lowered her head to obscure her face with her hair as she prepared to swim inconspicuously against the current of spectators.  

 

A flash of gold upon a perfectly manicured head assaulted Lyra’s eyes.  From the decorations lavished upon him to the ceremony with which he stepped out of the mahogany carriage, Lyra sniffed the royalty on him.  The loathing intensified as he turned his face in her direction. He was present at her sentencing, present at every trial ending in execution.  “The prince is dazzling as ever,” a woman near her whispered. Lyra glanced around, and realized nobody else was close enough to have been addressed.

 

“Don’t put it on me to correct you,” Lyra muttered without noting the response it received.  She caught herself scowling at the prince, her fists curling. A familiar rage began to bubble up.  Quickly she moved through the crowd to put distance between them. Attacking him in broad daylight would only lead to her capture.  She knew, however, such a thought would only stop her for so long if the prince was married to that smug look on his face. 

 

“Wait, beautiful,” a hand fell on the small of Lyra’s back and the reflex kicked in- with a swift movement her elbow crashed across his face.  Only as he stumbled back did Lyra realize who she had struck, the blood draining from her face. 

 

“What the hell!” The prince shouted through bloodied lips.  He froze for a moment as he saw her face without the veil of distance.  His eyes widened in recognition. “Oh my god. You— you’re that crazy bitch who— You crushed a man’s head!” The prince shouted, which led to him whimpering as he clutched his broken nose, “You were supposed to be dragon shit by now.”  

 

It almost tempted Lyra into taking his hands over his face as invitation to kick his stomach, but in her peripheral vision she saw guards closing in.  Lyra fled, the sound of metal boots upon cobblestone in rapid pursuit. “I’ll make damn sure it eats you this time!” The prince’s roar grew distant as he left the pursuit to his men.  

 

From the wreckage one would imagine an octopus on amphetamines had ravaged the streets Lyra sprinted through, toppling every cart, box, barrel, anything she could reach.  She imagined in a lighter situation she would cackle at the sudden shift from clanging footsteps to one solid clunk as the guards fell over the obstacles. A glance over her shoulder still stole a laugh from her throat, as two paused to help one who had gotten stuck on their back.  

 

Taking the time she had bought, Lyra fled into a tavern.  She sent several tables toppling as she sprinted for the bar and leapt over it.  The bartender opened his mouth to protest, but resolved to back away quietly as the wild-eyed bramble of a woman began shoving rags into open bottles of liquor.  “Get everyone out of here,” she hissed at him. It was an easy enough order to follow, as only the bartender was left now, the other patrons having fled at the sight of the woman who barreled in to begin crafting makeshift bombs.  

 

The bartender slipped out the back door as he muttered, “They don’t pay me nearly enough to make this my problem.”  

 

Lyra carried a nearly overflowing armful of bottles to the door and popped her head out for a moment to show the guards which building to head for.  As they began to scurry over and assemble to barge in as a unit, Lyra quickly lit each rag and placed them against the closed door, saving the largest to pour around her as she fled the scene.

 

Slipping out the back door, she put as much distance between herself and the building as possible before her trap was triggered.  The sound of glass shattering, fire roaring, and metal armor crashing to the ground was accompanied by screams of agony. The tavern was quickly up in flames.   Panic filled the city. Lyra was forgotten for the moment. Her footsteps were lost in a labyrinth of dark alleys as the buildings grew in density around the city’s core.

 

Amaris heard footsteps approaching as she finished eating the offerings which hadn’t rotted entirely.  She watched the door as the footsteps reached them, and seated herself to show no intention of moving. A human dwarfed even by Lyra stepped timidly through the entrance, and froze as he took note of Amaris through a tangle of brunette curls.

 

The human’s eyes filled with horror at the sight of her.  “My name is Amaris,” she said gently, “I wish you no harm.”  The human’s face was suspended in disbelief for a moment. “What reason do I have to lie to you?” Amaris asked of him.  He seemed to think about it for a short while before eyeing Amaris in optimistic shock.

 

“You’re not going to eat me?”

 

“I don’t do that anymore,” Amaris said.  “I wish only to aid in your escape.”

 

“I… You’re letting me go?  Everyone told me you were vicious.  That you’d kill me on sight.” Amaris tried not to wince at the well-earned use of “vicious.”

 

“Then they believe what we need them to.  Follow me,” she said as she rose to her feet and turned, beginning the slow march into the depths of the cell.  The human followed. 

 

“I’m Kiden, by the way,” the human said, “And, um, thanks.  For sparing me…”

 

“I do not require gratitude.  Your leaders desire blood which should not be spilled.  I simply do what I must to hinder their efforts.”

 

“Has this always been the case?  Everyone who was sent here survived?”  Their eyes lit up and blinded Amaris with a film of tears over her own.

 

“You will be the fifth human I’ve spared,” Amaris said somberly.  

 

“Oh…” Kiden’s eyes grew thoughtful upon examination of the remorse in hers, “So is this your way of making amends for the others?”

 

“Of course not.  My debt to humanity will never be repaid.”  The words stung as of she’d swallowed hornets.  Humanity was both her tormentor and her victim. She longed for the days when it felt simple, when she was the only victim of a unified evil.

 

“Well, thanks for helping me anyway.  I owe you my life,” Kiden said, curiosity growing in their eyes, “Can I ask what changed?”

 

“I met a human who taught me good exists among you, and another who taught me she was not the only one.”  Amaris’s voice cracked, and tears escaped.

 

“What’s wrong?”  Kiden’s voice was soothing, his eyes sympathetic, prepared to help in ways he had yet to be asked.

 

“I miss her.  Nothing can be done about it,” Amaris said, hoping to release Kiden from the obligation he’d placed upon his shoulders by proving it unbearable.  

 

“Was she important to you?”  Kiden seemed intent on listening anyway.

 

“I love her.  I always will.  But it is of no importance.  She is free now. Nothing else matters.”

 

“I’ll bet she misses you too.”

 

Amaris’s heart fluttered until she broke its wings.  “She is too smart to feel such a foolish thing for long.”

 

“I mean, you don’t seem so awful.  Hell, you’re being nicer to me than anyone has been in weeks.  I’ll bet she still loves you too.” Kiden gave her a warm smile.

 

Amaris fell silent, turning her face as a tear escaped.  After a moment she muttered, “She is free now. Nothing else matters.”

 

They reached the exit, and the birds’ collective song was fanfare for Kiden as he grinned, running to the grass as he tossed his shoes behind him.  The sight of him blissfully gawking at the blades tickling his feet brought a tiny smile to Amaris’s face. “I never thought I’d feel the grass on my feet again,” he said.

 

“I am happy for you, Kiden.”  He smiled at Amaris for a brief moment, but in looking up something else caught his attention.  His face went white. Amaris felt the rush of scent and heartbeat return to the air as a sensory suppression spell was dropped.  Three guards stepped into the window through which Amaris could only gawk helplessly as they seized Kiden.

 

Grasping for any way to help, Amaris realized she hadn’t been instructed not to let her fire extend past the cell in ages.  The flames appeared in her throat as she aimed with what she prayed would be enough precision. “You will not harm any human bearing the royal crest.”  The voice was a ghost rotting flesh from within. It smothered the flames in her throat, as the mark had been burned into the guards’ armor.

 

Flames appeared at the edges of Amaris’s scales as a grotesque human stepped into view.  He looked like the king, if they were to reanimate his corpse; generations of pure blood had devolved his features.  The gilded mark which had not changed since the king wore it was proudly displayed across the breastplate of his armor.

 

“To think, after millennia of perfect behavior, the executioner would try to quit just before my coronation.  I’ll treat this as a test of my leadership ability.” Amaris was impossible to see within the inferno she became at the sight of a small chunk of moon brandished by his wretched hands.  

 

She began to snarl.  

 

“Shut up.”

 

She was silent.

 

“Did you think you were subtle?  Sure, I’ll admit I’ve been easy to fool- when that captain disappeared and his buddies mentioned odd behavior, I went on a literal witch hunt.  I did pry it out of his successor that he went to ‘visit’ one of your prisoners; but I thought it a dead lead, as she died a while back… then she broke my fucking nose.”  The flames were extinguished by shock, the despair which covered Amaris’s face on full display. At the thought of Lyra still being around this wretched place she was hardly able to stand.  She silently begged for news of Lyra’s fate. 

 

“You’re fond of that one in particular, aren’t you?  After all, it seems you killed two of my men for wishing her harm...  Well I’ll allow you some comfort, as I’m not a total monster; That  _ cunt  _ escaped,” The prince emphasized the slur with a gleeful smirk at Amaris, who burst into flame once more as she was unable to cut him down for it, “But we did catch another we presumed dead. You’ve been getting sentimental, and that simply won’t do.  So let’s quit leaving anything up to interpretation. I’ll give you breakfast and lunch as a learning experience; you will eat every servant with dinner from now on, which will only be painful for you if you get attached. And my guards, all bearing my family’s crest, will ensure your servant is unable to escape.  You have been employed as my executioner, and I do not tolerate disobedience in my ranks.” The prince turned his back to Amaris. Kiden’s face shifted from pity upon gazing at Amaris, to panic as the prince drew his sword. 

 

Amaris couldn’t bear to look as the sound of flesh being sliced invited the scent of fresh blood to the air.  By the time she opened her eyes, she was blinded by the tears which overwhelmed them. “Oh, you might recognize today’s entree.  And once I find that little rat you’re so fond of, I’ll have far more interesting orders for your disposal of her.”

 

Silent sobs tore Amaris’s chest apart at the seams.  The prince and his guards left Kiden to rot amongst the bloodied grass.  


	14. Chapter 14

Approaching the castle from behind, Lyra heard the resumption of clattering footsteps as guards stormed through the front and poured into the streets.  Keeping to the shadows in alleys, she darted past glimpses of their armor. Their polish was distorted by the royal crest, which was hastily carved into the chest of each.  She nearly laughed at the distant voice barking, “She couldn’t have gotten far. Start at the perimeter of the woods and fan out.” 

 

“Bring her back alive.  The dragon prefers its meals that way.”  She seethed at the sound of the prince’s voice, growing distant as she found her way to the servant entrances.

 

Alleys gave way to a small garden against the castle wall.  A modest wooden door was framed by ivy-covered brick, the white paint peeling where it wouldn’t be seen by the public.  A tarnished cobblestone path was nearly buried in years of tending the various spices and vegetables flourishing in the patch of sun.  Assuming the door locked, Lyra clambered in through the window, landing on the cold marble floor of a kitchen, although it must have been on a higher level than the one she had seen; she never saw sunlight down there.  

 

Darting for the cutting board, she seized a carving knife and wrapped it in a cloth.  With baker’s twine she tied it to her forearm, and let the tattered remains of her sleeve fall over it.  With footsteps which only caressed gravity, she crept silently for the door. The hall appeared empty. Lyra hardly paused to wonder where her destination was; uncertainty of her direction would not slow her pace.  

 

“It’s her!” A voice boomed, and without bothering to glance back, Lyra knew of the pursuit; their metal boots were thunder crashing through the halls.  Without the burden of steel Lyra’s sprint put distance between them.

 

Lyra dove into an adjacent hall and through a door.  A familiar face gawked as if seeing a ghost. “You’re still alive?” The maid whispered.  At the approaching of boots, her eyes darted to the door. She pulled aside the cloth draped over the cart she had loaded with toiletries, tossing aside the pile of rags and bucket of soapy water carried underneath, “Hide.”  

 

In other circumstances Lyra would have taken it as threat and head for the window.  But she wouldn’t leave the castle without Amaris, and the footsteps were at the door.  She dove under the cart and wrapped her arms around her knees to fit. The maid let the cloth conceal her and stomped toward the door.

 

Lyra’s blood froze at her voice; it was panicked, tearful, “The fugitive just burst in here and threatened me,” she sobbed.  Lyra held her breath and clutched at the handle of the knife. 

 

Amaris glanced through the opening she had carved, desperately avoiding the body she wished could be offered burial.  The sun was fresh in the sky, tints of amber lingering on the horizon. A sigh of momentary relief would have greeted the morning if she were capable.  

 

The cell and the castle above were an assault on the senses, more so than usual.  Every scent was eclipsed by the blood in the air around her. Sounds were muddled by the hive-like buzzing of guards, even the loud creak of the cell doors nearly obscured.  She couldn’t make out any footsteps, unsure who entered, or if they lingered to speak or not. It was not worth investigation. Amaris wouldn’t have a word to say even if she had the voice to carry them; nothing could be of comfort if uttered by the executioner.

 

Her eyes kept drifting back to Kiden.  Amaris closed them as she lay motionless near the waterfall, the sound unable to drown the cacophony or dowse for any memory as comfort.  

 

Thunderous boots stormed into the room.  “Where did she go?” A voice barked. Lyra poised to leap from her cover and strike.

 

“She went out the window,” the maid sobbed, “She said she’d slit my throat if I screamed, and when she heard you approach, she fled…” 

 

She sounded unable to speak through panicked breaths for a moment, “Oh god, is she just loose in the streets?  She’ll kill someone!” Lyra’s eyes widened with amazement at the performance. Her voice carried real tears, real terror.  It rose in panic and pitch with every syllable until Lyra worried it was too much of an exaggeration. The hysterics convinced the guards.

 

“Surround the castle!  Guard the windows so she can’t get back in, and search the alleys!”  The voice bellowed as the storm moved past. The halls grew quiet. Lyra felt the cart move.  

 

“They’re gone, but I don’t think it’s wise for you to show your face,” the maid said quietly.

 

“Why are you doing this?”

 

“Well… to be honest, I’ve cried a lot since I met you.  You didn’t seem as awful as everyone said you had to be for your sentencing.  It hurt when I thought you were dead. I’ve talked to other servants since, befriended a few.  One was even beloved by the guards. I realized I’ve been watching good people die… this isn’t right, what’s happening.”

 

“You might not want to help me anymore when you learn what I aim to do,” Lyra warned. 

 

“I know you’re not leaving here alone.  I heard rumors that the dragon was letting people escape.  That the prince had to  _ order  _ it to kill again.”  Lyra’s stomach dropped and tears were ripped from her eyes.  She wasn’t capable of interruption as the maid continued, “And if you’re here, those rumors are true.”

 

“Don’t you worry she might attack when I free her?  Everyone else seems to think she would destroy the kingdom.”

 

“She?  Does she have a name?”

 

“Yes.  It’s Amaris.”

 

“What a pretty name.  No, I don’t think she’ll do such a thing if she has to be forced to kill us even after all we’ve done.  I think she’s a prisoner, and I think if you succeed, this is the last time I’ll see either of you.”

 

Lyra nodded, a grateful smile appearing upon her lips.  After far too long of a pause for her response, she realized visual cues were useless while she was hidden from sight.  “Do you know where you’re going?” She changed the subject since the moment had passed.

 

“Well, I’ve never been told where they hide that thing, if that’s what you’re asking.  But I do know there is one library in which no servants are permitted, not even maids. And we’re permitted in plenty of places that are secret to everyone else.  I’ve cleaned the hidden chamber behind the throne room, which the kings use for the mistresses they hide from their queens. So for royals to be willing to do their own dusting in that room, they must really want to hide something.”  

 

“I hate that, but you’re probably right,” Lyra groaned. 

 

“We’re here,” the maid said, “Looks like the usual guards are out looking for you, too.”  

 

Lyra peered out from the cart before slowly stepping into the empty hall.  They stood before a set of massive mahogany doors. Without pause Lyra grabbed the gilded handle and found the door to be locked.  “Hang on,” the maid said. She pulled a pin from her hair and retrieved another thin piece of metal from the cart, “They constantly forget to unlock doors, then punish the staff for failing to clean the rooms behind them.  Any maid who has kept their job longer than a week has done so by learning to pick a lock.” 

 

“For fuck’s sake,”  Lyra moaned. They left more capable people to rot in the streets.  The lock clicked and the maid smiled at her.

 

“Before we say goodbye, what is your name?  It’s not like I’ll forget you, so I don’t want to just remember you as an escapee.”

 

“Lyra… I never asked for yours,” she added apologetically.

 

“Violet.”

 

“Thank you, Violet.” Lyra smiled.

 

“There is nothing to thank me for.  When you see a good person in need of help, you help them.”  

 

At the sound of footsteps in the distance, Lyra slipped through the door, clicking the lock behind her. Violet returned to wheeling the cart down the hall, her feigned sobs drawing the attention of the passing set of metal footsteps, “Have you found her yet?” 

 

“Not yet.  You’re wise to hide here; she couldn’t possibly reach you this far.  If it helps, you may wait here; I’ll let you know when she’s caught,” the voice reassured.

 

Amaris watched the sun climb to the center of the sky as the cell doors opened once more. Her morbid curiosity could not move her, as she was unsure if she even wished to see the face of her victim.  The act ahead was unimaginable. The unavoidable thought that she would once again snuff out the life terror was desperate to preserve, hear blood and breath attempt to infuse the remainder of their lifespan into the moment it took to be slain, caused her to scream without sound.  Fire appeared in her breath and promptly disappeared at the threshold of the exit. 

 

A horrible thought tore every other to shreds. Calmness washed over her features as resolve formed in her eyes.

 

It was a library only in facade, with massive shelves along every wall and in rows consuming most of the room, all brimming with ancient-looking books.  Lyra found it difficult to assign such an honor to this room, however, as none of the knowledge within it seemed to have been explored. Dust danced in the sunbeams, swirling in currents around Lyra’s motions.  Dust was a snowfall which buried the books lying about on tables. A few chairs were pulled out, anticipating the ghosts of people who never existed. The air was thickened by the scent of neglect.

 

A cursory glance was followed by an exasperated sigh.  In all honesty, the sight of an innocuous facade had excited a small part of her.  She thought finding the secret passage to her true destination would be a puzzle, that she would have to search for clues within books pertaining to the cosmos, perhaps follow a series of hints to the solution.  But just before her sat a small model of the moon, the only thing on the table without a layer of dust. Built into the far wall was a bookshelf, slightly less dusty than its surroundings, with a set of bookends.  On one end the Earth sat on a small dusty pedestal. The other was simply a pedestal, on which the dust had recently been disturbed. 

 

Lyra mourned a more satisfying moment as she placed the moon onto its pedestal.  The bookshelf sank into the wall, and slid aside to reveal a dark hallway. Silently Lyra entered, wondering if an original idea existed in the collective mind of royalty.  

 

It was nearly offensive how unceremonious the space which housed Amaris’s greatest treasure was, although Lyra supposed all the ceremony in the world would not undo the violence behind it.  The moon piece sat quietly on a single stone pillar. Torches of blue flame lined the room. Recognizing the flames as Amaris’s in their color and apparent longevity, Lyra shuddered to imagine her lighting them, watching the king lock a piece of herself away.

 

“I’m alerted whenever that door is opened, you know.”  The snide voice made her grind her teeth to daggers as she turned to face her opponent.  “I don’t know what kind of stunt you pulled to get that dragon to start trying to save people, but you should know I’ve put an end to it,” The prince said with a sneer.

 

“Why her?  Couldn’t you at least do your own dirty work?”  Lyra hissed, “you must know your hands are no less drenched in blood.”  

 

The prince smirked.  “Clearly you’ve never felt the rush of using that stone, of bending the mightiest of beasts to your will.”

 

“Does it really bring you such pride to know all of your power is stolen?”  The shrike presented itself, and the prince laughed at its innocuous stature.

 

“Power is pride, and I have it in abundance.  Mock my power and deny your weakness however you wish.  You’ll still be bleeding and begging for mercy as I drag you to that dragon and force it to eat you.”  The prince unsheathed a golden sword inlaid with blood red diamonds. “Not to gloss over the torture you’ll endure at its claws first.  It’s going to kill you slowly.” Despite his armor and his weapon, it only took one look at how he brandished the sword for Lyra to smirk and decline to draw the knife from her sleeve.

 

While it should have been an easy motion, when Amaris rested a claw against her throat, she glanced up at the moon drifting above and went stiff.  She wondered if Lyra would know, if she would hate one answer over the other. She wondered how those odd birds would change in time. She wondered if the motionless shores would present issue to its populations.  Would the creatures of the Earth gaze upon the sky and wonder where she had gone? She wished she could banish such thoughts, that she could be of no consequence. 

 

A broad sweep of a sword accompanied an arrogant sneer across the prince’s face.  Lyra laughed, and turned his grin to a grimace as she caught him by the elbow and broke his grip on his sword with the snap of his wrist.  Steel clattered against stone as he screamed. Lyra plucked the blade from the ground and twirled it with the leisure of a child toying with a baton.

 

“You should know your opponent before you challenge them; if you had bothered to ask anyone, you’d know it took four men to arrest me.  And they actually knew how to fight.”

 

Howling as he felt pain beyond his imagination, the prince cradled his broken wrist before allowing it to fall to his side, throwing a clumsy punch with a metal glove.  In the time it took him to draw his fist back Lyra had darted forward. As he let it fly, Lyra found the blow easy to dodge, hooking a foot behind the one he’d placed all of his weight upon to unbalance him.  In the same motion she brandished the sword as if to strike with it, then slammed her forearm into his throat. He collapsed, coughing and sputtering what was supposed to be a string of slurs.

 

“You clearly haven’t wielded this outside of tutelage which ended the moment you got bored.  I suppose it never mattered if you could protect yourself, not when the whole world is protecting you.  But I learned as a child that the world is dangerous, that I am small. I spent the time since sharpening my claws, mastering as survival what you toyed with as hobby.”  

 

The prince’s teeth were bared, his eyes wild, a savage growl in his every breath, as if demanding that the heavens smite his opponent. “That was a lucky shot!” He barely managed to choke out.  Laboriously he clambered to his feet, his arm flopping comically to Lyra, as he only had injury to the wrist. 

 

“I’ll let you try again,” Lyra said, the mockery in her eyes a blade aimed for the heart. She tossed the sword at his feet, and slammed her knee into his jaw when he bent over to grab it.  The crack of bone was musical as it marked the end of his speech. “This time I mean it, I actually will let you try again,” She cackled as she let him recuperate. He rolled on the ground, shrieking unintelligible syllables of agony for a few minutes before he seemed to even remember his surroundings.  

 

The prince reached out with his good hand and clutched the hilt of the sword as if it was salvation.  He affixed a confident sneer to his face which was marred by the way his broken jaw shaped his mouth, shakily rising back to his feet.  Whatever he tried to say before howling in pain again, Lyra was certain it was a threat. She laughed once again, her true amusement stemming from what a brutal attack the prince took it as.  Savagery covered his every feature as the rage built. He dove forward with the sword, aiming for her heart. Once again the blow was easily caught and redirected, the sword snapped out of the bones clutched around it.

 

Lyra kept the sword this time, twirling it once more as she watched him writhe and snarl and roar with pain and anger upon the floor.  “I won’t deny that your position grants you power, but your power is nothing compared to mine. Your power has only ever been siphoned from those around you.  I’ve cultivated my own. And now that you don’t have your guards to protect you, you’re nothing to me.” The prince attempted to climb to his feet once more.

 

Lyra sank the blade through his knee, christening it with its owner’s blood.  He crumpled to the floor in a cacophony of agony. Lyra held the weapon against his cheek to tilt his face toward hers, piercing his eyes with her gaze, “The world cannot sustain those who subsist on stolen power.  You leave only decay where you roam,” a smirk caused his face to pale, “But there’s one way a person like you can make the world a better place.” 

 

That vile blood assaulted the air in deadly amounts.  Amaris’s eyes widened with shock as she slowly lowered her claw from her throat.  

 

The doors to the cell opened in the distance.  Amaris felt nothing pulling her toward the sound.  Realizing she had her voice, she called out the only name she wished to utter.  “Lyra?”

 

Amaris’s voice was a hymn.  The response caught in Lyra’s throat as she stared at the piece of the moon.  Cautiously she reached for it, and paused. She loathed the power it had been cursed with.  To even hold it felt heinous. Remaining frozen here, however, would do nothing. 

 

Gently she lifted it into her hands.  It felt far too light for the power it carried. As she held it, she couldn’t bear to say anything.  Instead, she looked in the direction from which the song echoed. A simple black door was rooted in a blank stone wall.  Lyra opened it, and found her eyes useless; wherever it led was eclipsed in solid shadow. She sprinted forward. “Amaris!  I don’t know how to undo the curse, but I know I should give this back to you.”

 

With a gasp Lyra nearly dropped it; white light poured from it, tracing a path along her skin.  It disappeared from her hands, turning to white sparks which faded from the air. As Lyra stared at her forearms, she was unsure what to think.  White markings had appeared up to her elbows, not unlike Amaris’s.

 

The castle had emptied by now, the buzzing in flight from Amaris’s senses.  A small set of footsteps approached in isolation. She turned to the hall she’d only partially been allowed to incinerate.  Dread was all she had ever felt at the sound of footsteps appearing in that hall.

 

From within Lyra called out to her.  Breath escaped her as she felt the rush of old magic leaving the atmosphere.  She stood frozen in blissful shock as the turquoise skies called to her. She hadn’t shed tears for such a reason in millennia.


	15. Chapter 15

Amaris’s eyes landed on her fallen friend as she gawked at the world beyond the cell.  She decided a fitting first use of her freedom was to bury them. With a burst of flame the wall of the cell was vaporized, leaving an exit large enough for Amaris.  As she stepped out of the cell, Amaris glanced around the ledge, selecting a sunny spot. She found a seed which a nearby tree had dropped, and placed it in his palm, curling his fingers around it.  With a claw she moved enough Earth for the burial, placing him to rest before returning the soil to its place. “Thank you for your kindness. I shall remember you, Kiden.” The clouds danced in the wind to pay their respects.  The birds sang in reassurance. The life surrounding the grave was in celebration of continuation; it was the highest honor Amaris could bestow to the dead.

 

For a moment she too was lost in the landscape, her thoughts impossible to separate from one another as she marveled at the scene surrounding her.  She wondered if the world had grown more beautiful in her absence, or if her memories had simply warped in the darkness. At the sunlight’s touch, Amaris sighed in contentment and brought forth magic which hadn’t been necessary in millenia.  Her markings changed. 

 

As Lyra reached the end of the hall, she was stunned by the sight of Amaris’s true form exposed to the sky.  Her white markings were like mirrors now, the vibrant hues of her surroundings reflected across them as if an impressionist decided she belonged within the landscape.  Lyra smiled at the look of wonder in Amaris’s eyes as she paced forward slowly, wondering if the moment should even have interruption. Amaris’s eyes turned to her as she stepped into the sunlight.

 

Amaris shifted to her “human” form, nearly toppling Lyra as she collapsed into her arms, tears dripping down her face.  She sniffed, and laughed as nothing she could think of was an adequate expression of her joy or gratitude. “I love you.”

 

“I love you too. I told you I can’t just sit by and let someone I care about suffer…” Amaris was stunned to see worry appear upon her face.  “I’m not sure what happened. The moon piece disappeared, and these marks appeared simultaneously; the curse didn’t transfer, did it?” Lyra offered a forearm for examination. Amaris’s heart soared at the sight of the marks, her wildest dreams alive before her.

 

“That moon piece was summoned here as it was cursed; it simply returned to its place when that curse was lifted,” Amaris traced the markings with her fingers as if touching a deity, “As for these, it is not uncommon for dragons to use a piece of their celestial body to select their mate.  It reacts to only one soul; these marks mean we are meant for one another.”

 

“It didn’t react right away,” Lyra said, wondering if she ought to feel unworthy.  The marks remained regardless. 

 

“I suppose there was a question left to answer,” Amaris mused.  She had more to say, but punctuated her thoughts with a breathless kiss.  Her fingers left small tears in the fabric of Lyra’s dress as the desire to remove it grew. Amaris held back; the light was too bright and the world too big to remain in their cell for such a sacred moment.  She’d take her lover somewhere beautiful.

 

“Freedom calls to us.  Do you mind flying?”

 

“No, why do you ask?”

 

“It didn’t occur to me to ask before.”  Amaris shifted back to her true form. She held out a hand, and Lyra clambered onto her palm. Amaris held Lyra against her heart, careful to form an adequate shield from the wind and cold with her fingers before taking flight.

 

The kingdom of Anaviosi burst into a wildfire of panic, every heart pounding alongside every foot as as their collective nightmare emerged from the mountain.  Screams filled the air as it smothered the sky with its wings. Every breath was held in anticipation of the vengeance which would befall them. The sunlight scattered across the dragon’s scales to render it nearly imperceptible against the sky as it took flight.  Panic grew as it disappeared from view, the gusts of wind from its wings leaving only rustling leaves to mark its position. 

 

The aquamarine sky was a temple, the clouds its patient visitors.  The winds harmonized their howling in ancient respects to forgotten names.  Once again Amaris was welcome as all were. Below them the outskirts of the kingdom revealed beauty beyond the gaze of the royalty clustered in the core.  Channels of chalcedony with embellishments of peridot and jade were the roots and leaves leading the kingdom to the forests and rivers, moving in paths no king had set.  Amaris wished them well as she head for the sea of labradorite marking the end of the continent. The water rose beneath her as she flew. The salt in the wind was a reception of kisses as she returned to her domain.  

 

In the distance a malachite stalagmite of a mountain protruded from a vibrant island.  As soon as it fell within her sight, Amaris set course for it; such terrain would host an abundance of beauty to live amongst, and wildlife to hunt.  Most importantly, Amaris caught the scent of humans in the distance; Lyra would require their company.

 

Soaring over a quartz coast, Amaris slowed her pace, laughing as a flock of curious birds greeted her by giving chase to the odd mirrors covering her.  Millions of opportunities presented themselves as options for the first time in millennia as Amaris wondered where to explore first. She landed in a large valley with a crystalline lake surrounded by untouched botanics.  Within seconds of her landing, the flock which had followed perched upon her in investigation of their reflections, chattering to Amaris in a language that was indecipherable but boisterous. They rose in a disgruntled cloud as Amaris placed Lyra on soft moss and shifted to her “human” form.  

 

“Where are we?”  Lyra asked. While she was certain they hadn’t flown for long, the air was far warmer here, the sunlight more brilliant.  She marveled in imagination of Amaris’s speed when unhindered. 

 

“I am not sure.  I have forgotten where anything is, aside from which direction to fly to reach the poles.  This place seemed pretty. We can always go elsewhere if we wish.” 

 

“It’s perfect here,” Lyra said as Amaris wrapped her arms around her.  Their lips met, and they lay upon a bed of soft moss as they finally greeted one another.  Hours were forgotten in the home one another’s arms had become.

 

As the sky began to grow dark, Amaris became wary of every shadow as if it was an active threat to Lyra.  “We require shelter. I am sure there is room amongst the humans; we should seek them out.”

 

“There are humans here?” Lyra seemed shocked.

 

“Of course.  I wouldn’t escape from a prison just to isolate you elsewhere.”

 

“I don’t want to be around other humans right now,” Lyra said.  Amaris saw worry cross her face. 

 

“They’re not all evil.  We can meet some kind humans.”

 

Lyra frowned.  She sounded like Nyx.  Thinking of her conversations with them was unpleasant; she had been in such a haze she felt she’d been entirely too mean. Although she doubted she could have had the conversation any differently; it had been their incredulous tone as they asked why she couldn’t simply be happier which set her off.

 

The repetition of their words from Amaris made it more difficult to reject them, especially given the understanding in her eyes, the softness of her voice.  Lyra knew it was true. But the removal of one layer of fear revealed a host of new anxieties. 

 

In some ways enemies were pleasant.  They were simple, and hatred was easy.  In hatred one had predictable lines, and no obligation to even waste the breath on them.  Offense made by an enemy was harmless, as it was worthless. To deal with an enemy one only had to summon the will to fight, and fighting was easy; you never really had to look your opponent in the eye.

 

Enemies were nothing compared to a kind stranger.  The appropriate lines shifted with each word they uttered, and the stakes existed.  It mattered if they were upset. It mattered if they thought less of you after hearing your voice.  Desire to be known placed too much meaning upon every word. To deal with a good or neutral party, one had to summon the bravery to speak, and speaking was hard; you had to look your opponent directly in the eye.

 

“I really don’t want to live amongst them.  We’ll still visit them often,” Lyra nearly pleaded as she lied.

 

“If that is what comforts you,” Amaris said, unable to argue with the nervous waver in her voice, “I shall build something.”  She paced a short way from Lyra and affixed her eyes on a large boulder. She supposed it would be just enough material. 

 

Shifting to her true form, she used a small, controlled fire to soften it enough to shape.  Drawing from memory of human shelters she’d witnessed before, she crafted a rectangular space with a pointed roof. Both to conserve on material and maximize sunlight, Amaris left only enough solid wall for stability; the rest was consumed by windows.  With a flick of her wings cold air cooled it. 

 

Demonstrations of Amaris’s true power still knocked the air from Lyra’s lungs.  Her true form was armor and weapon; gazing upon her made it hard to imagine her power could be restrained.  Lyra supposed fear would be normal, but felt none as she observed the delicate and precise way she crafted their home; it was a contradiction to the claws she used as her tools.  As she watched how delicate the motions of molding stone were, Lyra was stunned to realize how much care must go into all of her motions, for her touch to always be so gentle upon Lyra’s skin.

 

Once she was finished, Amaris returned to her “human” form and smiled proudly at Lyra, melting her heart more effectively than she could melt stone.  Now that the hazard of molten ore no longer halted her approach, Lyra gravitated back to Amaris’s side, greeted by a hand which slowly moved from her waist to her hip.  The softness of the touch seemed far too impossible to feel so natural. 

 

“It’s perfect,” Lyra admired.  The sizing would fit just what they needed, the sun graciously accepting its invitation into the space.

 

Amaris didn’t respond, as she was muttering a spell under her breath, her eyes falling upon each window.  With the gaze a flash of light obscured each before fading. A beetle crashed into nothing where Amaris’s eyes had already fallen.  When the light flashed across the doorway, it caused their markings to glow for a moment. “Only you and I can cross the threshold of that door,” Amaris said with a reassuring smile, “Not that anyone who would wish you harm could even make it so far; they’d have to face me first.”

 

From her tone Lyra realized Amaris must have assumed it was attack she feared from other humans.  She supposed it wasn’t necessary to correct her, and she was certain if she mentioned the subject, she’d just do such a poor job of offering explanation it would only confuse Amaris.  Often Lyra found when tapping into her emotions in search of description, the fog of them obscured their language. “Thank you, Amaris,” Lyra said. 

 

Amaris wrapped her arms around Lyra’s waist, and stole air from her lungs through a kiss.  “There is no need for that. I could never truly repay you for all you’ve done; I owe you my freedom.”

 

“You owe me nothing.”  

 

“You are too kind to me.”

 

“You’re just going to have to learn to live with that.”

 

Amaris laughed and traced her jaw with kisses.  “I am unsure what to do for a bed,” she apologized, “My crafting abilities are limited to melting and reshaping things; timber and textiles are beyond me.”

 

“I was fine sleeping on the ground five minutes ago, and I still am, for tonight.  If you craft me some tools and help me break down some trees, I can furnish this place over time.”  Lyra’s heart rose as she took in the opportunity of the empty space. Inspiration felt foreign from the time it had been absent, but familiar regardless.  

 

Amaris laughed.  It was musical. 

 

“What’s so funny?”

 

“When we were in the cell, I asked what you would do if we were free, thinking it an impossibility.  Do you remember your answer?”

 

Lyra laughed as well, “I wasn’t even really thinking about it when I answered.  Coincidence, maybe?”

 

“I doubt that.”  

 

The embrace grew in its sincerity as their lips found new steps to their slow dance.  The moonlight caressed the world as if wishing to shelter it from the cold night.

 

The morning light was blinding, but only Amaris was roused by it.  Lyra slept with her face buried in her chest, shielded from the day.  As Amaris relished the rush of warmth from Lyra’s skin, a sound cracked through the air.  Senses previously heightened by lust turned their focus to danger. 

 

Without a colony surrounding her, Amaris found her senses clarified in a way that made it blatant how muddy they’d been before.  The thunderous cracking of tree trunks under dragon claws was unwilling applause as it moved through dense forest. The distance of the sound did nothing to dull it.

 

Pinpointing the location of the sound was a simple task; it was miles away, but closing in quickly. With ice in her blood Amaris recognized the scent.  “Jex,” she muttered, followed by a string of curses in a colorful, multilingual tapestry. Long ago the name was a mockery to her, as Celosia nullified any threat.  Now Celosia was gone. 

 

“Lyra, we have to hide, this place is too obvious of a shelter,” her efforts to conceal her fear were marred by the importance of urgency, gently shaking Lyra as she spoke into her ear.  

 

Amaris glanced up at the moon, an oblivious trespasser in the daylight.  She was thankful, at least, that her proximity to her celestial body sharpened her senses, while Jex’s were dulled by the distance from hers.  She was of a large planet with several moons captured in its gravity, and had travelled nearly a lightyear to avoid the binary stars which claimed the fertile planets near her desolate sphere.  What dulled her senses also greatly diminished her power, but given her original might, Amaris knew she was more than a match for a moon. 

 

Lyra grumbled nonsensically out of a deep sleep.  Groggily she raised her head, “Amaris? What is it?”

 

“Shh,” Amaris’s voice dropped to a whisper as Jex prowled closer, “There is another dragon here, and I cannot fight her.  We need to hide elsewhere. She will recognize this as a dwelling and investigate.”

 

“Another…”  Lyra’s stomach lurched.  She’d forgotten how it felt to fear a dragon.  The thought of something a creature formidable as Amaris would flee from made it hard to balance as she rose to her feet.  She nodded, afraid now to make any sound. 

 

Amaris took her hand, squeezing it softly. “It will be fine.  She does not seem to have noticed us. Come with me.” Guiding Lyra down the most navigable path, Amaris hurried for the mountain, thankful now that she’d chosen to land nearby.

 

When she roamed with Celosia, Jex was a common pest, prowling from unclaimed territory to unclaimed territory to hunt humans unchallenged.  In those days spilling dragon blood on neutral ground felt too great a sin, so Celosia would bat her around until she promised to quit, only to terrorize the humans elsewhere.  Amaris wished she had known how incapable those who needed to be forced to apologize were of changing.

 

Lyra found the path nearly impossible to traverse once the woods grew thick.  Roots tangled into obstacles which tripped up half of her steps. Within minutes she noticed Amaris growing nervous, eyes darting from Lyra to the woods behind them.

 

“May I carry you?” Amaris asked, trying to conceal impatience, as it was too telling of her panic.  Lyra nodded, and was effortlessly lifted. Clutching her close, Amaris tried and failed to avoid thinking of Jex discovering them.

 

The very thought of Jex’s eyes falling upon Lyra, her teeth flashing in a ravenous smirk as she recognized prey turned her ribcage to daggers around her thrashing heart.  She reassured herself that an individual human was no worthy prize for a dragon so large; as long as they didn’t cross her path, Jex would have no reason to lay eyes on Lyra.  

 

While most dragons her size would hunt a few large prey at a time, Jex hunted entire towns to compensate for the size of her prey. She had developed a fascination with humans nearly as potent as Celosia’s, but her attention was captured by the depths of emotion with which they were so easily drowned.  

 

Once she chose her targets, her approach was heralded by nightmares; she was masterful with the old magic of dream manipulation.  Terrifying images of being torn apart by a dragon would fill the night with shrieks, stealing the humans’ ability to sleep. Jex would stalk her prey for just under two weeks before her attack, robbing the humans of sleep until they could hardly stay awake, their feet shuffling with each step, their minds too clouded to focus on the simplest tasks.  

 

As if to ensure she’d drawn it out long as she could, she always waited for one to die as their body decided eternal slumber was preferable to another sleepless moment.  By the time she strolled into the village, broad daylight flashing across her bared fangs, most humans, if they were cognizant of anything around them anymore, simply ignored her as another hallucination brought forth from their exhaustion.  They only realized she wasn’t an image when their nightmares became reality. Any humans who still retained the awareness to wish for self-defense found their swords falling from shaky hands, their forces unable to assemble. 

 

A dragon such as Jex truthfully had no real need for such a performance; nothing the humans had was proper defense from her, their strongest and sharpest warriors easily cut down by her claws.  Jex simply loved the imbalance of power, and made a game of seeing how far it could be pushed.

 

Amaris’s pace was unnaturally quick, her footfalls silent.  Amaris tracked Jex’s movements through scent and sound, a frown growing with her unease.  Earlier Jex would have simply chanced upon them in the continuation of the path she took. Since Amaris had moved from that path, Jex had changed direction.

 

Amaris reached the mountain, and placed Lyra down.  Lyra staggered from the speed in which they had traversed the terrain; in flight, she was shielded from the dizzying blur the world became around Amaris.  As Lyra leaned against her to regain her balance, Amaris rested one hand reassuringly on her shoulder, using the other to blast a concentrated stream of fire into the mountain, the blue flames disappearing to reveal a long tunnel.

 

Jex’s scent grew heavy in the air.  Amaris shifted to her dragon form, and with a flick of her wings, the stone was cooled.  “Hurry. Go to the back, so you are not burned when I reseal the entrance.” Before Lyra could ask if Amaris would follow, a frigid voice silenced hers.

 

“I knew I recognized the scent of Celosia’s pet.  You seem to have strayed; I wonder how she’d take the news that you’ve absconded with a little plaything of your own,” Amaris could see the sneer before she’d even turned to face Jex.  She was imposing in form; even with her diminished size, she was slightly larger than Amaris. The red spots adorning her white scales glistened in mockery of blood. “I think she’d feel particularly betrayed that you’ve chosen a human over her.  I wonder if she would have involved you in her little studies if she knew your experiments would become so hands-on.” Her eyes fell upon Lyra.

 

As if the gravity of multiple planets plagued the atmosphere, Lyra found her legs crumbling under the force, her lungs full of ash at the massive predator’s eyes fixated upon her.  “Your scent soaks every inch of her,” she mocked Amaris while glowering in fascination at Lyra, “I’d call it obscene if I didn’t see the appeal; I’ll bet she’s quite obedient, knowing what you could do to her if angered.”  The dragon’s fangs glinted in the harsh sun as it flashed a violent smile, “such a dainty, helpless little thing. I’m stunned you haven’t broken her; I wouldn’t be able to resist.” 

 

Lyra’s ears rang, her surroundings becoming blurred.  Even at their first meeting Amaris had not terrified her so: she had lashed out in rage.  Jex was calm, content, and craved blood regardless. The hunger and violence in her eyes was made alien by the pure joy which bared her fangs.  

 

Amaris said something.  The words were muffled as panic fogged Lyra’s mind.  With a gentle nudge from Amaris’s claw Lyra understood anyway. She glanced up at Amaris, trying not to show how badly the anxiety she saw in those platinum eyes terrified her.  Her heart broke at the effort Amaris put into making her smile seem reassuring. Lyra pretended it was believable, and with a quick nod, sprinted into the tunnel. 

 

As Amaris sealed the exit, leaving a gap just large enough for air, Lyra wished their foe was one she too could face.  Demanding to remain on the battlefield, however, would only make her a hindrance, forcing Amaris to divide her efforts between protecting her and fighting.  Now that Amaris wouldn’t see, frantic tears flowed down Lyra’s face. All she could do was listen, and hope for Amaris to succeed.

 

Once Lyra was spared from Jex’s gaze, Amaris summoned the shore.  In moments she held a lake’s worth of saltwater above her, a vicious growl rumbling in her throat as flames surrounded her scales.  The water above became scalding. Jex’s eyes widened in surprise, but narrowed as she jeered, “looks like the pet has a bite.” A calculative glance at the weapon Amaris held in threat inspired a mocking grin, “Hot water won’t do you any good, however.”  

 

Amaris grimaced; the theatrics were her last hope of avoiding the fight altogether.  She froze as she grasped for another way to intimidate her opponent. Jex took her pause as invitation to prattle on, refusing to raise her defenses in the presence of such a weak opponent.  “I’ve been using your image in the nightmares I craft, you know. Tales of your violence have burned their way into the humans’ lore and scarred every heart; your image is already kept among their most sacred fears.  All I must do is call it forth. I don’t even plan out the nightmares anymore; the humans have such creative ideas for all the ways you’d kill them. Although not all are creative. Most just imagine you eating them alive before they wake screaming.”

 

The flames surrounding Amaris grew, the vegetation at her feet becoming a garden of fire.  Wisps of steam revealed the extinguishment of tears. Jex laughed, and her eyes darted back to the spot where Lyra was now hidden away.  “How cute; you even remembered to leave a hole so she could breathe. Do you go through such lengths with intention to deny you’ve imagined devouring her?  She’s far too succulent for you to lie believably. I’ll bet it takes every ounce of self restraint you have not to take her in one bite. Although I’m glad you’ve held back; now I get to indulge.  She’ll hardly be satisfying, but she’ll certainly be sweet.”

 

The monster sparked to life, its claws honed by purpose as it thrashed against its restraints.  Amaris set it free without hesitation. As Jex sprung forward Amaris formed a claw from the water and slapped her out of the air as if she was a fly punished for its irritating sound.  The trunks of several trees were reduced to splinters as Jex slammed through them. Amaris gawked, stunned by the effectiveness of the blow. 

 

Roaring to conceal humiliation, Jex leapt back to her feet.  A grin spread across Amaris’s face at the demonstration of her own power. The ocean roared defiantly back at Jex, the waves thrashing at the shore to join the fight.

 

“I am nobody’s pet, but I certainly do have a bite,” Amaris hissed, “You seek this fight out of overconfidence, Jen.”  Jex’s eyes widened at the amused look in Amaris’s as she spat out the wrong name. 

 

For a moment Jex’s gaze was analytical, as if trying to find the fear which had been in Amaris’s eyes so recently.  The monster had twisted such emotions into desire for her foe’s blood as proof of her lover’s safety. Wrath was all that could be seen in Amaris’s eyes now.  “ _ You _ are overconfident, do you forget who you challenge?” Jex demanded.  Flames appeared in her breath, and offense overtook her features when Amaris did not back down.  

 

“I challenge a distant planet while my celestial body controls the tides of our battlefield.  Do you know who you have challenged?” With a roar Amaris summoned a tidal wave which rolled just above the tops of the trees, leaving all below it untouched as it eclipsed the sky.  Jex gawked. “You have not challenged a dragon at all. You have challenged the ocean.” 

 

Jex turned to flee.  Several arms of water seized her limbs, pulling in opposite directions.  Jex snarled in pain. Amaris prowled forth and exaggerated the leisure in the gestures with which she moved the water.  She turned Jex to face her, staring into eyes larger than her own as she bared her fangs, “This is no longer unclaimed territory.  This island belongs to me.”

 

“ _ You intend to claim it?” _ Even under the duress Jex cackled, “even I am not strong enough to hold a claim to land as beautiful as this.  All who have tried have fallen. But I’ll support your effort; I’ll gladly tell every dragon I know that a frail moon is all that lays claim to this marvel.  Perhaps they’ll take one another out in argument after they finish you off.”

 

The mockery was disrupted by hushed agony as Amaris pulled with the water, until she was a whisper away from separating joints. “You’re too optimistic to assume I don’t mean to take this battle to the end,” she hissed. 

 

At the agonized howl which finally tore free from Jex’s lungs, Amaris froze.  The sound was loathsome. The water crashed to the ground as she reflexively released her grip.

 

Seizing the lapse in her enemy’s focus, Jex took flight.  Summoning as much water as she could in such a short period of time, the claws Amaris sent for Jex’s ankles found them beyond their reach.  Frantically Amaris formed a long whip, and lashed at Jex. 

 

While she was practiced Amaris found water at the right pressure was an infallible blade.  Her first attempt in milennia would have been accurate enough to slice steel, but against dragon scales it was simply a blunt object which sent Jex tumbling farther away.  Jex roused from the blow in midair with an enraged hiss. She hung in the air just outside of the range of Amaris’s last attack, taunting with an arrogant sneer as if she thought she had won the battle.

 

Amaris refused to give chase.  Jex clearly intended to be followed, for Amaris to desire to prove herself enough to take to the skies and strike once more; she lingered too long to be fleeing, too distant to be fighting.  With a hiss Amaris leaned against the stone Lyra was concealed behind. In an attempt to taunt her, Jex cackled. The sound tore at Amaris’s pride and caused her to snarl, but she refused to fall for it.  She knew what Jex had planned; Jex was faster than her. Amaris knew if she left her post to pursue, Jex would simply wait for her to draw near before darting past, her endgame a desperate race to claim Lyra as prize, which Amaris would lose.

 

Quietly Amaris drew from the ocean again, streams of water concealed by the foliage gathering for another attack as Jex hung loftily in the air.  Once enough was gathered to reach Jex, Amaris attempted another blade, which simply sent Jex skittering through the sky before she shifted course, rocketing through the clouds.  

 

In minutes Jex had entered orbit, the atmosphere a shield from any dragon’s senses as she plotted her return.  As Amaris returned the water to the ocean, she felt the power held in its currents, and glowered at the sky as if to offer an open challenge. 


	16. Chapter 16

As if they had waited patiently for the end of a grand performance, the birds began to chatter amongst themselves once more, regrouping, or perhaps critiquing the theatrics.  Amaris didn't realize she'd turned her markings to mirrors until a flock of jewel-toned parrots perched upon her nose.  She shifted her markings back to white.  They shrieked, and took to the skies. 

 

Amaris's legs were weak, her mouth dry as she carved into the mountain to free Lyra.  She knew Lyra was not distant enough for anything Jex said to be lost.  Her heart twisted at the thought of fear returning to Lyra's eyes as they fell upon her, the monster meant only for killing, the monster which must aim to kill her in time.  Amaris knew Lyra couldn't be blamed for believing it; even if she could shed her skin, she would still be stained by the blood she had spilled.  She shifted to her "human" form and waited nervously as Lyra's footsteps scurried for the light.

 

Lyra paused when she reached the entrance of the tunnel, her eyes fearfully looking over Amaris.  Amaris's heart broke for only a moment before Lyra astonished her with a relieved smile, "You're not hurt."  She nearly leapt into Amaris's arms, "You were amazing."

 

Amaris eagerly returned the embrace, although the anxiety wouldn't be gone until she said it.  "Lyra... the things Jex said... I need you to know they're not true.  I wouldn't...."

 

"I think she said what she thought would be most hurtful to hear," Lyra released Amaris from the burden of finishing the sentence she drew out, "I trust you, Amaris.  That hasn't changed."  Her feet left the ground as Amaris's embrace grew closer, thankful tears at the corners of her eyes.

 

A partial sob escaped Amaris, and she laughed in apology, "I was worried you would be afraid of me again." 

 

"It takes more than some creep jabbering away to frighten me," Lyra reassured, kissing Amaris on the forehead.  Words from an enemy were worthless; enemies were simple, as was hatred.  While she couldn't deny Jex was horrifying, she feared only the fangs and the claws.   "Do you think she'll be back?"  Her mind lingered on the fangs and the claws for a moment, recalling how the sunlight glinted off their razor edges with a shudder. 

 

"Yes, but I think I might actually be able to defeat her."  A prideful grin spread across Amaris's face as she realized Lyra had yet to see her true power.  She reached a hand toward the ocean, summoning Lyra's weight in water. 

 

The sight of water rushing between branches as if a stream in the air was natural stole a small gasp from Lyra.  The water landed before her as a live yet shapeless creature.  It did not lack in personality what it did in form; it bowed before its performance, and promptly became a crystalline version of her as it stood tall.  "How are you doing that?" She jumped as it imitated the subtle motions of her speech, and laughed when it was a reflection of her surprise.

 

"The moon is my celestial body, and the moon's gravity is what shifts the tides."  Amaris beamed, her pride growing with the amazement in Lyra's tone, the joy in her laugh.  Lyra turned her attention from the water to Amaris, the warmth in her eyes outmatching the sun.

 

The water crashed to the ground as Amaris threw her arms around Lyra.  She was salvation, the ivy which grew upon ruins to bring life to forgotten spirits.  The dress which had been easily slipped out of before snagged in its zipper as Lyra attempted to remove it, and Amaris tore it off to help. 

 

Only a moment passed of their hands roaming one another as their lips met before Lyra said, "Wait.  That was all the clothing I have.  Didn't you say there are other people on this island?"

 

"Oh...  I... I am so sorry," Amaris's face dropped as she apologetically placed Lyra back on her feet.

 

"It's fine, in the heat of the moment I forgot about that too, but..." Lyra hid a small smile as she sighed heavily, "I guess that means I'll have to avoid the other humans now."

 

Amaris's expression grew uncomfortable at that.  "Nonsense, you can't be isolated over clothing.  I suppose..." she glanced toward the distant shore; among the glistening waves she could sense the hum of civilization, "I'll get something."  With a slight wince Amaris shifted, her horns disappearing as her skin mirrored the shade of Lyra's.  The only white markings which remained were on her forearms. 

 

"You don't have to look entirely human on my behalf," Lyra reassured, the wince from Amaris the lash of a whip.

 

"Shapeshifting is natural to dragons; being able to blend in with any population is a survival tool for smaller dragons like me.  I shouldn't be afraid of such an important ability."  Amaris began to examine her hands, the uncertainty slowly leaving her expression.

 

"You're too kind.  You really don't have to force yourself to do this."

 

"Let me be too kind, then.  I want to do this."  Amaris accompanied her reassurance with a soft kiss to Lyra's cheek and an excited grin.  "It does not feel awful as I imagined, anyway.  It feels natural." 

 

Lyra nodded quietly. Amaris's expression revealed no lingering hints of hesitation.  It hardly eased the thoughts which clouded Lyra's lungs, belaboring her breaths as she feared she had become a burden for her lover to bear.  Had she been bold enough to meet the humans when they first landed, Lyra could have gotten everything they needed without Amaris having to take such a step so quickly.  It almost felt worse that Amaris seemed to hold no resentment toward her for it, as if a sin was going unpunished.

 

Amaris seemed to read at least some of the turmoil in her eyes.  With a smile which melted Lyra's heart, she said, "Let me be too kind, as I have let you be too kind." 

 

In an attempt to avoid the guilt she still couldn't bury, Lyra turned her attention to the task at hand, glancing around for hints of a direction to walk in.  Aside from the small clearing around the mountain and the desolation Jex had left in her wake, the forest was a dense tapestry of branches and ivy around them.  Neon tree frogs darted like arrows between leaves, their chirping nearly rhythmic.  Wild birds offered their melodies to the sky, accompanied by the hum of cicadas.  The ocean was a soft beat from a few directions, the white noise of the forest filling in the gaps between its roars.  Nothing to herald humanity's presence existed as far as she had seen, and not a sound resembling a voice called from anywhere.  "Where are they, anyway?"

 

"I sense them amongst the waves."  A sharp bite followed those words as Amaris thought of how fascinated Celosia would have been to see that the humans had built a floating civilization, "There is a cove nearby where you can hide. The path is tiresome, but I can cross it in minutes." 

 

Lyra closed her eyes when Amaris lifted her this time,  and when Amaris placed her on glimmering sand, the world did not spin around her.  Up close, the ocean's rumble concealed the orchestra which surrounded them moments ago.  The water was celadon save for the sunbeams surfing across the waves in hues of peach and blush.  Lyra still saw no signs of civilization, and sighed in relief.

 

"It is not likely Jex will return any time soon, but caution favors us.  You can hide underwater; maintaining a bubble of air is among the easiest uses of my powers.  It'll conceal you from Jex's senses."  With a lofty wave at the water, Amaris parted it to reveal an arched crystalline pathway, fish fluttering like butterflies around it. 

 

"Are you sure you're fine gong to visit the other humans alone?"  Lyra asked before taking a step forward.  While it still stung to see anyone, let alone Amaris, go through such lengths for her, it seemed Amaris was set on the task as she nodded, now glancing at her skin as if stunned to learn it was comfortable. 

 

"I am eager to know humanity outside of such horrid circumstances.  I only regret that you will miss out."  A frown crossed her face.  "I will return with clothing swiftly as possible.  Perhaps there will still be time for you to visit today as well."

 

"It's fine.  Jex woke us up early, and I could catch up on that sleep anyway.  I'm exhausted," Lyra lied,  "Take as long as you want.  In fact, you haven't eaten in a while, have you?  You should hunt while I'm hidden from Jex."

 

"You have not eaten either.  I can hunt after you have visited the humans and had a meal."

 

"Nonsense, I'll be sleeping for at least a few hours anyway," she lied again, "take at least that much time for yourself."

 

"I might seek out some bedding while I'm there, then, maybe utensils and ingredients to cook something proper with," Amaris said, and after a thoughtful pause as she considered the possibilities, "Call for me if you need me for anything.  I will hear you." 

 

Lyra nodded, and after a swift kiss, paced along the path before Amaris could think of any new reason to rush. 

 

For a moment, her worries were washed away by the serenity of her surroundings.  The water surrounded Lyra like a hallway as she walked through the ocean.  Sunlight was filtered through prisms as calm waves shifted the surface.  Fish flitted like flocks of finches through willowy weeds which wafted wearily in the waves.  The end of the path was a dome of air in the center of a magnificent reef.  The path only closed slightly behind her, fresh air floating in from the beach. 

 

Amaris concealed the pathway by lowering the water until the shore moved several inches above the sand; such a phenomenon would be imperceptible from the sky.  A small smile sprouted at the corners of Amaris's lips as she turned her attention to the distant shuffle of society, nearly concealed from her senses by the song of the sea.  As if worried she had become less human in appearance without knowing, she examined her hands once more before moving swiftly along the beach.

 

To most, the settlement was lost in scattered light.  Amaris's vision was unhindered by the glare, however.  The small city gleamed in the sunlight, the waves which danced around it glittering like gold.  Their shelters were quietly extravagant, intuitive and utilitarian in form, crafted from massive iridescent shells. Welding 6 together at the edges in a cube formed each individual room of their structures.  Doors and windows had been cut to accommodate their intention.

 

Beautiful as they were, Amaris observed tact behind it; from a distance above, the glare from the light upon the shells would make them nearly impossible to see amongst the glare of the waves.  Even up close, their iridescence mirrored the water so that it was difficult to discern their form from their surroundings.

 

Each room was a segment upon its own raft.  Where buildings were intended the rafts touched, but nothing tethered them.  Upon each raft were several sets of oars.  Their entire settlement seemed built in preparation to scatter and flee, the structure of their city making it an act of simplicity to only move what was necessary to save the people.

 

The roads and pathways of the city were comprised of water under enchantment; it was perfectly still in strips connecting the buildings to one another, with the exception of small ripples surrounding the feet of humans as they paced leisurely across.  A long bridge of still water connected the beach to the city.  Nerves targeted Amaris's knees as she cautiously paced across the water.  Amaris tried to remind herself nobody would suspect her of being one of the monsters their society was built to flee from.  She looked human.  To them, she would be human.

 

The people of the city hardly took note of Amaris as they went about their business.  They wore elegant textiles, most of them draped with varying degrees of craft and care, although some wore tailored garments cut from the same fabrics.  Their skin resembled Lyra's in a variety of shades, and shone like gold and copper in the sunlight.  White freckles danced across them like points of light across facets. 

 

Their hair varied in shades ranging from nearly black to peacock and indigo.  It was typically either cropped short or tied back for convenience, although some people maintained styles which appeared ornamental, with vibrant wildflowers woven into their braids as if they had taken root amongst the strands.  Their eyes varied in color from deep jade to rich gold.

 

Amaris soon passed a series of floating gardens, each offering a different bounty of crops.  Children buzzed excitedly throughout the rows of plants, guided by their elders as they planted in some areas and harvested in others, although a few powerful-looking humans aided with the laborious tasks of weeding and carrying the filled baskets to tables at the edge of the docks the produce was grown upon. The occasional passerby strolled through the garden to help with odds and ends, and occasionally a gardener left, carrying a basket full of produce.  They hardly left a dent in the morning's yield, and those who loaded the edges of the docks all but begged passerby to help themselves to what would otherwise spoil in the sun or rot on the vine.

 

From the homes nearby, the sounds of small blades slicing through vegetables and the sizzling of meat in oil brought the scent of their intended cuisine to the air as people prepared their first meal of the day.  Amaris was reminded of how neglectful she'd been in hunting by a jolt of pain asserting that it couldn't be forgotten forever.   She hardly had time to dwell on it before a voice addressed her, "You seem new."

 

For a moment Amaris froze in panic, until she remembered she looked entirely human now.  She smiled; it had been far too long since she'd met someone without terrifying them on sight.  She turned to face the stranger. 

 

Her skin was worn from time, wrinkles marking a long journey to the present self.  Long white hair was woven into a careless braid with a few large flowers.  Her clothing was sewn with particular care in a bright print, although it hardly looked as extravagant on her as it would on others- it was as if such bright pigments belonged with her.  Her eyes twinkled like topaz as a welcoming smile lit her features.  "We don't get many visitors to such a dangerous territory."

 

"Am I in danger for being here?"

 

The woman smiled, "Of course not.  We wouldn't have been here for so long without tactics for survival.  We can see a dragon coming long before it sees us, and there is a series of caves nearby which we can hide our city in at a moment's notice.  Dragons believe the island to be untouched by humans.  They eat a few sea serpents or hunt a few boar demons and leave without taking note of us."

 

"How clever." A tremor ran through her spine as she thought of Jex.  If she had been on the island, she must have found the city despite their defenses.  She must have been hunting them.  Amaris stifled the fire which threatened to reveal her true nature.  Jex would not lay a claw upon these humans either, she vowed to herself.  This island would be a safe haven for humans, just as Celosia's territory always was. 

 

"I am Maiara by the way.  May I ask who you are?"  Maiara brought Amaris's attention back to their conversation.

 

"Amaris."

 

"Where did you come from, Amaris?  We haven't had a ship dock with us for months."  The keen look in Maiara's eyes frightened Amaris despite the friendliness in her smile; she seemed too clever for a bad lie. 

 

"We were shipwrecked," Amaris blurted out the only explanation she could imagine, "my..."  Amaris paused for a moment as she struggled to remember the human term for one's mate,  "My wife and I are the only survivors.  We have been living on the island for about a day."

 

"I suppose you are fortunate to have survived together, although I imagine you've suffered greatly as well." Amaris shifted uncomfortably; Maiara seemed to understand a bit too much.  "Is your wife nearby?  I would love to meet her as well."

 

Amaris froze for a moment; Maiara seemed too knowledgeable to lie to, although she wouldn't discuss the private matters which led to her present need for clothing.  "She is nervous.  She has been tormented by people, so she is afraid to meet anyone new.  I am scouting to ensure it is safe here."  She settled on half of the truth.

 

"Ah.  She will visit us when she is ready to, then."  Maiara smiled.  "Did you need help finding anything?  You seem to be wandering aimlessly."

 

"Where may I find clothing?" Amaris asked, glancing around once more.

 

"Follow me," Maiara said, and began to guide Amaris down a busy street, "If you wish for any elaborate clothing to be made, I can show you the artisan's guild.  Otherwise, fabric is sold in lengths which make it easy to drape."

 

"Oh..." Amaris felt moronic.  In all she remembered, the concept of currency was not something she had reserved the space for.  "I shall be back soon."  With that she turned and darted behind the nearest structure, glancing around to ensure no human was observing her.  She quickly shifted her form, imitating the odd birds she had caused on the poles as she dove into the water. 

 

Awestruck by the way her wings sliced through the water without using her abilities to manipulate it, Amaris supposed those who were born in this form were not cursed after all.  Swimming directly down, Amaris soon saw gold glimmering amongst the sand, a small trove of all the treasures humans had dropped over time. 

 

Something else caught her attention, however.  In the distance, a shark hacked into a tuna, the scent of blood filling the water.  Had Lyra's voice not carried hints of pleading when offering Amaris all the time she wished for,  she would have ruled it out as a distraction.  Given time to pursue it, Amaris's eyes twinkled at the thought of hunting mindless prey, having a fresh meal without consequence. 

 

Shifting back to her true form, her grey scales were translucent in the water, her white markings turned to mirrors which made her only visible to the most scrutinous eyes given ample time.  Water bent to her will to allow for flight, her nearly imperceptible wings cutting through it like air as she stalked her prey.

 

A small crab crept curiously up to Lyra's shoe, clutching at a stray thread with a tiny claw.  "You are a water spider," Lyra informed it.  She smiled around at the fish schooling past, fluttering through coral reefs like vibrant brush strokes in motion.  A frown attempted to cross her face but she dismissed it.  Worrying always made it worse.  The second time the frown darted to her lips it slipped past her defenses.

 

Her thoughts moved to old friends as her eyes caught the shadow beneath the oceanic civilization.  Childhood guaranteed many acquaintances and some friends along the way, but few lingered to adulthood, and soon the years became a roulette to remove more from Lyra's life.  It was nobody's fault; life carries everyone along their path as they grow.  Lyra simply let them slip away as she took root where she had always stood. 

 

Only one friend remained alongside her, and her features had shed a burden upon learning Lyra would soon be dead.  Rosalind had been the only one to bother with Lyra for long.  In childhood, she often bruised her knuckles on the kids who called Lyra dumb, or strange.  She never said those words herself, even when Lyra did through frustrated tears.  Not many of Lyra's thoughts were translated for audience, but Rosalind never minded the pauses between lines. 

 

Lyra knew neither she nor Rosalind were exceptional.  Humanity hosted many who could understand, many like herself, even.  But the task of making oneself known was the most arduous and perilous of all, far too severe a means for the end.  Besides, Lyra was already known and loved. She even had proof across her forearms.  Perhaps Amaris would understand too, that Lyra had no need for more.  The other humans could carry on without her, without the burden of being known placed upon her. 

 

The water parted, giving way to the sky.  Lyra turned to see Amaris, a prideful look upon her face as she strode across the sand.  A length of elegant cloth which glimmered in the light and fluttered in the breeze was draped around her body.  An orchid was carefully pinned into her hair.  Lyra's breath escaped her as her heart fluttered. 

 

"Thank you, Amaris," Lyra said as Amaris handed her an emerald cut of airy yet opaque fabric and a length of braided leather, which Lyra tied around her waist in draping a simple frock.  "You look wonderful," she added as her eyes moved back to Amaris no matter how she tried to focus on the knot she tied.  Amaris smiled proudly.

 

Lyra tilted her head in examination of her own attire, deciding there was adequate coverage, the construction of the garment allowing for adequate movement.  Perhaps she could eventually take up enough skill in sewing to craft pants.  She shuddered at the realization someone else would have to teach her.  It was too much to ask a stranger for. 

 

"I spoke to several people!  None of them were afraid, and they were very welcoming!” Amaris was positively beaming, "I cannot wait for you to meet them.”

 

Old anxieties wrapped their fingers around Lyra’s heart as her reply caught in her throat.

 

Amaris's voice provided unexpected relief as she said, "we do not have to go today.  I was advised by Maiara that we have been through a lot of change, and it would be unkind to rush you through more.  We can rest and settle in, and you can meet the others when you wish."

 

A sigh escaped Lyra after what had felt like a year of holding her breath.  "Thank you, Amaris..." It was short-lived before her heart seized in her throat, "What did you tell them we had been through?"

 

"I simply told them we escaped from prison and crossed the sea to begin a new, peaceful life," Amaris said as if commenting on the weather.

 

"So they think we're criminals?"  The world began to spin.  They already had reason to hate Lyra before meeting her.  She'd never change their minds.

 

"Do criminals usually receive such a friendly reception?  Maiara helped me find almost everything we need to establish a home," Amaris was nearly singing as she shrugged to draw attention to the two canvas sacks she had tied together and draped over a shoulder, carrying enough to break a horse, "I have tools to cook with, and food for you."Amaris's smile was blinding.  "It really is wonderful to speak without such dread and terror, to just be a human amongst a sea of others, swimming alongside whomever I admire."

 

"I'm proud of you, Amaris."  An argument raged within Lyra's smile.  She wasn't lying, and Amaris's joy was the sunlight upon her skin.  Amaris was radiant when untethered from misery, blissful at the possibilities of planning a new life.  It stung like the smallest and most venomous jellyfish, however, to see how easily Amaris could reflect those around her, not to disappear, but to thrive amongst company.  Lyra wondered what was wrong with her, to be drowning in such beautiful joy.

 

Amaris grinned and lifted Lyra into an excited embrace, a passionate kiss interrupting such thoughts for a while before Amaris chirped, "Let us go home; I shall prepare you a human meal, we shall lie on soft bedding, and I think we have some unfinished business to attend to."  Her hand moved down Lyra's back as she stepped toward the forest between the shore and their shelter. 

 

"Your next step falls within my domain, runt.  I'll crush you before you can take another,"  Volos hissed, plumes of smoke filling the air.  He towered over Jex, a haze surrounding his yellow scales.  The orange soil and red sky were hardly visible past his fog. 

 

"I make no challenge," Jex said, sitting cautiously before the unseen border.  "I only bring news.  I hear you are rather... well known?"  She barely stopped her eyes from revealing her disgust.  Volos's domain was massive simply because he allowed stronger dragons to hunt freely, banning only those he could fight.  To let any other dragon set foot on one's claim was heresy, yet he was content with constant humiliation, even prattling at trespassers as if they were acquaintances. 

 

Jex would never confess to insulting herself with his presence, or admit his celestial body dwarfed hers; he was a gaseous giant with dozens of satellites.  It felt like added insult that she ought to feel kinship; they orbited the same binary stars, and he lay claim on a planet only a solar system away, yet the commonality only filled her with loathing, as if his shame was hers to bear as well.  Today, however, his weakness and his prattling had use.  "Isn't there an island on Earth which the star dragons love to visit?  I hear they affectionately refer to it as Earth's diamond.  A moon just laid claim to it."

 

Volos laughed.  The smoke in the air was smothering.  "You flew all the way here with that?  Such news is of no interest to me.  If it bothers you so, why not challenge her and claim it for yourself?"

 

"I am no fool; the stars flock to it.  The only creature powerful enough to keep other dragons off that island would be a black hole."

 

"You wouldn't need to be so powerful if you only challenged those who would compete with you over those little prey you're so fond of, and coexisted with the stars.  Stars just want to eat the sea serpents, or roam the thickest woods for boar demons. They wouldn't challenge your claim if you didn't bother them; that island is too small to be worthwhile territory on its own, and too distant from the continents to be worth the responsibility of protecting, so no star wishes to lay claim.  You have no reason to be in competition with them."

 

"I wouldn't bear the offense of another dragon in my domain, as you don't tolerate it when you know you can win," Jex hissed, "you don't coexist, you roll over for those who are stronger.  Yet you dare bare your fangs at me if I think of crossing your lines?  You are weaker than I even if I cannot prove it with your blood." 

 

"Oh," Volos's orange eyes twinkled, "You've just made this so much more rewarding.  Thank you.  This is going to be so much more humiliating for you now.  Tell me why you haven't killed that moon yourself."

 

Jex snarled, flames appearing at the edges of her breath.

 

"Look me in the eye and tell me why the mighty Jex, apparently mightier than I, has not quashed that moon which bothers her so."  He was hardly visible through the plumes of smoke as he laughed in anticipation of her answer.

 

Jex wanted to tear that laugh from his throat and shred that smirk off his lips.  Embers danced across her scales.  "She is the Earth's moon.  Her power is amplified as she roams within its gravity, and she controls its ocean."

 

"She bested you.  What a blow to that pride you judge me for lacking." Volos grinned at the look upon Jex's face. 

 

Jex growled, flames pouring from her mouth. 

 

"And now you want me to go tell those stronger dragons I ought to stand up to that they should destroy her in defense of your honor.  Does it not occur to you that you lost your remaining honor when you thought of such a petty scheme?" 

 

"Shut up," Jex snarled, "A runt like her is overconfident, and ought to learn this lesson before she becomes a burden."  Jex's stomach growled. 

 

"Sounds like someone was cut off from her prey.  Why not hunt large game and at least pretend to be a self-respecting dragon?"  Volos's voice was gleeful as he continued to find reasons to taunt Jex, her eyes growing more enraged with each word.

 

"That isn't any fun. Animals don't panic with the depth humans do." As she thought longingly of those beautiful nightmares, she snarled, "They didn't even know of her, so I was going to haunt them as myself for once.  It was going to be special."  The insult of losing the hunt to such a weakling, who aimed to defend those even weaker, no less, made Jex an inferno.  "I barely toyed with them for an hour before she distracted me with her scent all over some human."

 

"This must be really difficult for you," Volos feigned sympathy before bursting out laughing, "I wouldn't keep trying to recruit help, by the way; nobody cares about your petty squabble.  If that moon is cleverer than you, she will find no issue with the stars as you seethe with jealousy over her little island and her little human."

 

Everything went red.  The scent of blood filled the air.  His scales were brittle; Jex never anticipated such a fatal flaw from his fearsome form.  The haze became odorous as Volos howled in agony, and she threw her forearm into his jaw, breaking the teeth which had been aimed for her throat.  She slit his with shocking ease, laughing, "You're all hot air!"

 

As Volos choked blood through his last breath, Jex panted, her breaths heaving with the last traces of her laughter.  In a moment of near silence, Volos's heart began to count down its final beats.  Before the moment was through, Jex's eyes widened, a depraved grin flashing her fangs.  The abomination was hers to commit without witness.

 

His ribcage opened like an old chest without a lock; he was hardly as substantial as he appeared.  Jex laughed at herself for ever fearing him.  Before Volos's unpackaged heart could sputter into silence, Jex ate it.  The strength of his celestial body became hers.  The act prevented its disappearance from the sky as she became it, and it became her.  Volos's corpse became ash. 

 

Without change to the cosmos, the others would never notice Volos's absence; he was always prattling on, always politely ignored. 

 

Jex, however, would make better use of their combined strength.


	17. Chapter 17

Amaris stunned Lyra with the number of possessions they now owned as she dumped the contents of both bags in the center of their home.  A slim mat rolled up in several blankets of varying thicknesses occupied the first bag, along with more lengths of fabric for draping wrapped around dishes.

 

The second bag contained several pots and pans smithed from a dark metal which revealed hues of indigo and flashes of yellow when hit by light at certain angles, along with a chrysoprase knife set wrapped in colorfully embroidered sheaths, a simple wooden cutting board, canvas bundles wrapped in twine, and a small wooden box which was cold to the touch.  An incantation was written in moss across the lid. "The people of Erisimar have an extensive knowledge of magic," Amaris said, noticing the questions in her gaze.

 

"How fascinating."  Lyra glanced around and said, "now that we have things to fill it with, I think I'll begin setting up our home," in hopes to veer conversation away from the city.  

 

Grabbing the bundle of bedding, Lyra selected the spot most shielded from the sun to unroll the mat, layering the blankets on top of it.  Amaris began to unwrap the dishes and sort them into a pile separate from their clothing as Lyra unwrapped a bundle of canvas to reveal an array of fragrant fruits which sweetened the air.  "They overharvested this morning, so I was encouraged to take some of nearly everything they grow. It is refreshing to encounter such hospitality," Amaris said, glancing in the direction of the city as if the forest didn't obscure it.

 

Narrowly avoiding a shudder as the conversation swerved toward treacherous territory, Lyra changed its direction again.  She unwrapped a bundle of vegetables as she said, "I know it isn't filling for you, and you've probably already eaten, but I can make something for you."  

 

Lyra was still formulating a recipe and examining her resources when Amaris answered gleefully, "I would like to prepare something for you this time.  It will be my first time cooking like a human!” The offer melted Lyra, who forgot to worry about the city as a smile grew across her features. 

A frost rose from the strange box as Amaris retrieved two thick slabs of garnet-colored meat; her favorite fish to hunt seemed to be a staple in Erisimar, and the cuts she was given were only different from a fresh kill by a number of hours. As Amaris placed them on the cutting board she surveyed the spices, selecting the hand-labeled jar of spices Maiara had given her along with instructions when Amaris expressed a desire to learn how to prepare it.

 

Amaris rubbed a generous amount on the outside, and retrieved a frying pan from one of the piles she had begun to sort their possessions into, placing it flat on her palm.  With controlled breaths Amaris focused on creating a small flame, the task of keeping it within a narrow temperature range laborious in ways an all-out demonstration of her power was not.  Once Amaris had attained the proper temperature, the enraged hiss of meat against the pan began the portion of cooking which was most difficult.

 

The joy hung around Amaris like a halo when it came out beautifully, a sear on the outside while the center remained bright red.  She carefully sliced it before offering it to Lyra on a plate, popping a slice into her mouth which was thin on one end and nearly see-through on the other. Before Lyra could offer her one of the nicer slices, Amaris made a face. "I am perhaps biased; meat that has been cooked at all tastes overdone to me."  

 

Lyra sampled it, and felt the sensation of her future self looking back at the moment of them sharing their first meal in their new home, at the saccharine gesture of Amaris learning this skill just to return old favors.  "It's perfect," she responded to Amaris's warily expectant gaze. 

 

Lyra disregarded a small pang of jealousy at the way Amaris's face echoed the sunrise in her smile, as if she had already taken root in new Earth and bloomed in its climate, while the same light failed to cease Lyra's wilting.  After all the confrontation involved with her imprisonment, the friendships born from desperation and the love she'd found when she lowered her guard, Lyra imagined she should be cured. She should have been eager to explore the city the moment she was able; seeking more connections should be a natural urge.  She should at least have been able to match Amaris's eagerness, who had far more reason to be wary of humanity than she did, yet smiled in the direction of the shore. It must have been a failure on her part along the way; even in darkness Amaris turned her leaves to the sun as she grew to grasp it, while Lyra was sown in shadow and let her leaves hang toward the ground.

 

A spore spread into her roots as she wondered if Amaris would notice how she flourished while Lyra decayed, and if it was possible to outgrow even their love.  Evidence of the damage dealt by the thought was kept buried under a smile. It was wrong to even be thinking of such things; such thoughts belonged back in that cell.  She did feel the warmth, and the honesty in that would have to sustain her as she ignored the fact that she would never really bloom. Some things in life simply had to be accepted, and of all of them, that wasn't the worst.  At least Lyra was able to melt back into the moment when her eyes met Amaris's. 

 

"It is a shame you had to miss out today, the people of Erisimar are wonderful.  Perhaps tomorrow we can rise early and spend the entire day in the city," Amaris said as Lyra finished her meal and placed the plate aside, freezing in the middle of the action.  Amaris raised a brow at the response, her gaze becoming far too calculative. The question rising to her lips was nearly legible, and panic closed Lyra's throat as she grasped for a diversion.

 

The first thing which occured to Lyra proved extremely effective.  With a swift pull at the loose knot she had tied and a shrug to slip the fabric off her shoulders, Lyra stripped away Amaris's focus on anything else.  A sensual grin crossed Amaris's face, and in a moment almost too quick to perceive, Lyra had been whisked to their new bed to bless it. 

 

Moans and gasps, declarations of love and utterances of names as if startled by the way it felt to melt into bliss  were a hymn which filled the night. It drowned out the thoughts which had buzzed in Lyra's ears relentlessly; if such exstacy could come to her despite the damage, it was not worth mourning the decay in her roots.  Nothing Lyra desired was out of reach within the altar of Amaris's arms as Lyra moaned her devotions.

 

Amaris's hymn was in reverence for Lyra; her resilience wrote the exposition for events she would have considered daggers as daydream, cutting her apart with images she could never truly see.  Amaris's name called in Lyra's voice was a blessing which echoed to the skies of a paradise Amaris would never have reached without her. The only request her prayer made was to be ivy like her, so that she too may grow to bring life back to the part of Lyra's eyes which seemed to turn to ruins at the mention of other humans.  In the temple of their bed Amaris offered all she could, praying for the ability to offer more.

 

When the morning brought no signs of Jex’s return, Lyra continued to appreciate the infallible diversion her body was, dodging the resurrection of Amaris's offer to visit the city by diving back to the bed when they drew close to the subject.  Once hunger struck, making a breakfast together provided ample conversation without mention of anyone outside of their home. It wasn’t until they shared their meal that the conversation came up and wouldn’t end.

 

“If you still wish to craft furniture, Maiara showed me a studio, full of any kinds of tools you could need for your craft," Amaris said, savoring one of the thick strips of bacon she'd spared from the flame.  

 

“Oh, I was going to settle in for a little while first, before I started working on anything.”  Lyra’s smile was too strained. She tried to cover it by taking a large bite of eggs. Amaris noticed regardless.

 

“You were very eager to create.  I am surprised you have changed your mind.”  Her gaze was piercing, performing the task of slicing a strange fruit with a white peel and indigo flesh without sparing any of her attention on it.  

 

“I just want to rest today," Lyra said, her curious glance at the fruit met with Amaris handing her a piece of it. 

 

Before Lyra could brush past the topic with comments on its flavor, Amaris responded, “You just wanted to rest yesterday.”  

 

Lyra felt as if every inch of her was being scanned in attempted prediction of the truth.  Amaris caught the panic which flashed across her eyes. “You are trying to avoid the others.”  Amaris sighed. “I chose this place so you would not be isolated. You will not be happy without other humans."

 

“I'm extremely happy," Lyra reassured, "for the first time in my life I have both a place that feels like a home, and someone I want to share my life with.  I'm not isolated at all." 

 

Amaris's patient smile conceded nothing.  She placed a hand on Lyra’s shoulder and her tone became soothing, “We are building a wonderful life together, but you need more than just me.”

 

“Don’t tell me what I need,” Lyra snapped.  Her face fell the instant she heard her tone echo in her ears.  

 

A hurt look crossed Amaris’s face, followed by frustration, the reassurance in her tone painstakingly maintained.  “I am just trying to help. I do not want your imprisonment to cut you off from humanity forever. We are free now, and not all humans are like the ones who hurt us.”

“This isn't because I was imprisoned.  I’m fine without them, really," Lyra said, her voice flustering with remorse at the sting still showing in Amaris's eyes.

 

“That is not healthy.”  Knowing the words to be true the moment they were uttered was a blow to the gut.  Unintended offense boiled Lyra's blood as she tried to remind herself it was honestly unintended.  Her nostrils still flared. Frustration furrowed Amaris’s brow again as she watched the shift in expression.  “I just want you to be happy. You won’t find happiness without community, and no matter how much I am to you, I am only one person.”

 

“I won’t find happiness among them!  Amaris, I’ve tried so many times before to feel secure around other humans but I just don’t.  I feel worse when I'm around them, I always have.” Lyra nearly panted in exasperation as she felt an ancient conversation begin its cycle again.

 

“That was a long time ago, in a faraway place.”  Amaris's voice was soothing, the frustration becoming confusion in her eyes as panic filled the air.  She moved back slightly, ruling out their proximity as a factor when the anxiety in Lyra's voice still grew.

 

“Humans are the same everywhere." Lyra became aware that this point was when she was most often chastised for the irrational potency of her emotion.  Unable to determine what they revealed, Lyra turned her eyes toward the ground.

 

Amaris returned to Lyra's side, brushing her hair out of her face and catching her eyes when they darted up. Lyra was stunned to see Amaris's eyes were warm as always. “Humans take root in their environment, and absorb both the nourishment and poison from those around them.  The air is less toxic here, and these people seem kind. Of course they will have some similarities to those you know. They will share the definition none of them can seem to write down with brevity. We will even meet some awful people, who occur everywhere to some extent. But this will be different than it was before.  You have grown as much as your world has changed; the worst of them won't have such power over you anymore. You could find acceptance you never had.”

 

“It doesn’t work that way,” Lyra’s tone grew defeated as the conversation reached the point where it always disintegrated, “I can’t just tell myself maybe it'll be better now and stop worrying what the person in front of me must think.”

 

“I didn't think it mattered so much to you what others think; you've been bold enough to slay the prince who condemned you."  Amaris stared in bewilderment as Lyra's eyes returned to the ground.

 

“You don’t understand,” Lyra said, holding in tears at the corners of her eyes as her ribcage began to constrict her lungs.  She stared at the white markings on her forearms, her heart pounding as anxiety took the place of oxygen. They were supposed to mean Amaris and Lyra were for one another, that their love was true, as if the universe had approved it.  Lyra shuddered at the realization that they didn’t mean Amaris would understand. Perhaps they might even disappear as Amaris finally realized what Lyra had always known; Lyra was not just unexceptional, but broken, both from defect upon birth and damage over time.  

 

“You are right.  I do not understand. Why do you falter at friendly people when you face enemies with ease?"

 

“Maybe we should end this conversation,” Lyra said, turning her face away so Amaris would not see the tear which escaped.

 

A frustrated, bewildered look overwhelmed Amaris’s face. “No, we need to have this conversation.”

 

“What conversation is there to have?  You don’t understand, and I don’t know if there even is anything to understand.  What if this means the markings appeared on the wrong person?” The sob exposed her, and Amaris’s face fell at the sound.  Lyra’s heart stopped for a moment in the pause before the response.

 

"Lyra, you cannot truly believe a disagreement, our first one even, could possibly undo all we've been through, all we feel for one another."

 

"Then why don't you understand?"  At the sight of Amaris's eyes pained by the tears from hers, Lyra let her hair fall over her face in an attempt to conceal what she could not stifle.  

 

Amaris brushed it back again.  “Our love is new. We will not understand every piece of one another immediately; lovers learn more of each other over time.  That is why it is important to have these conversations; when we don't understand, we must listen." 

 

Amaris offered her arms for comfort and Lyra fell into them, although she found it hard not to wonder if she truly belonged in the embrace.  "I do not agree that you will never need other humans, but I do not resent you for that. I do not ask questions regarding your emotions as a test of their merit; I only wish to understand,” Amaris murmured, “this is not the first time we will disagree, or the first time one of us will learn something about the other that they do not understand at first.  No love is truly effortless, and no lover flawless in their efforts. It takes time and care for lovers to intertwine their roots so both may grow unimpeded, and not every pairing will blossom at all. These markings mean our love can grow into something glorious. Already we have something beautiful. But these markings do not excuse us from the care and attention love requires.  As much as has bloomed between us, there are still buds which will wither in drought if we hide from every drop of rain."

 

Lyra nodded as she felt the weight of the ocean lift from her shoulders.  The fear of losing Amaris began to melt away as she stopped examining her markings for hints of fading.  A lifetime of love described as absolute had instilled a fear in her that it was something one could only helplessly hope to have.  If love was sustained with effort however, it was nothing to fear. Lyra was no stranger to the struggle of first grasping and then tuning a skill, of pouring herself into the things she found worth her care.  If she wasn't rooted where she was sown, she could move forward rather than lament she may be left behind. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. You're not the reason I'm upset, and it's unfair to act as if you are."

 

"I owe you an apology as well; it was unfair for me to attempt to pressure you into visiting the humans.  I won't insist that you visit them. I wish to understand what burdens you, however; then I will know how to best support you.  I would like to continue our conversation."

 

While Lyra felt invisible threads loosen their grasp around her chest, she found the thoughts Amaris wished to hear difficult to untangle. Explanations had been asked of her before, but for once, it wasn't a demand.  For once the eyes gazing at her were met willingly, the look in them warm, void of the typical conclusions every such conversation began with. Lyra's prepared script was for a combative cycle which had just broken, so an explanation had never been arranged at full, in length or sincerity.  Lyra's head felt light as she fumbled for words, unsure if words would even align with honesty regarding such emotions. “I don't think I know how to explain, it doesn't even all make sense to me. I just feel ways I know I shouldn't and I don't know how to stop, or if it can even be helped.  Every time I've tried to explain it all comes out as a mess; I think I need some time to think. I’d rather continue this conversation later.”

 

“That is fine; we have all the time in the world.  Just promise that we will return to it when you are ready, so I may understand how to best support you.”

 

Lyra's heart fluttered at the sincerity in Amaris's eyes.  “I’ll tell you when I’m ready to talk about it.”

 

Amaris kissed her on the forehead.  “In the meantime, there is a lovely clearing on the mountainside, and miles of coast far from the city.”  Amaris smiled as Lyra brushed away the last tear with a thankful look in her eyes. 

 

“The beach would be marvelous."  She tucked her hair behind her ears and smiled.  After a soft kiss, Amaris got to her feet and retrieved a bundle wrapped in thick parchment, tied with violet twine and sealed with a wildflower pressed in wax.  As they left the house the scent of vanilla and rose trailed behind her. 

 

The sky was an electric blue moonstone, yellow sunbeams flashing like lightning across the inclusions of cirrus clouds.  A warm breeze brushed across their skin as if to greet them. It finally felt natural again for Amaris to close her eyes and tune in to the network of vibrations which echoed across every surface, mapping out the island and the ocean. The city was on the nearby shore, the footsteps of the people dancing along to the movements of the fish below.  Amaris turned to the distant shore, glancing from the thorns covering the ground like thick fog to Lyra. "I could carry you, if you wish."

 

The path looked tedious to traverse, but it was beginning to feel as if an electrical current had built up in Lyra from inactivity, and she desperately needed to ground it.   "I’d like to walk on my own. I’ve actually had a bit too much rest," Lyra said. 

 

“I shall cut a path through the woods, then, so you may walk with ease.”  Amaris summoned water from the shore which slithered through the air and curled around her arm like a snake.  Raising the water's pressure, she lashed it as a whip at the wall of greenery which ended the clearing, a burst of splinters and leaves filling the air as confetti before covering the ground like ash.  She stepped to the end of the path she'd created and extended it with another slash of water, carving her way as if she'd retained the claws of her true form.

 

Splitting her focus between sharpening the skill of creating a blade with water and tuning in to the network of vibrations from the motion and sound surrounding her, Amaris mapped a course to avoid nests and dens.  Their quiet passage through the forest was only noted by the nearest animals, which hardly scurried or fluttered far before they resumed their activities without fear. When the woods thinned as they approached the shore and their passage no longer required any disruption, the small creatures which had retreated crept closer.  

 

Recognizing the white berries clustered amongst black leaves edged in a nearly neon green as edible, Lyra quickly gathered a small handful as she spotted a pair of dark round eyes cautiously observing them from a low-hanging branch.  Lyra's closest comparison for the creature was a rodent, but it didn't seem an accurate one. The rat- sized creature was covered in soft-looking brown fur. Its paws reminded Lyra of hands more than a rat's did, however. Small patches of white kept its eyes from being imperceptible against its fur, taking up a larger portion of its face than the rodents she was familiar with.  Its tail was long and furry, more similar to a cat's tail than a mouse's. When Lyra offered it the berries on her outstretched palm, the creature eyed her suspiciously. 

 

Noting the pause in Lyra's movement, Amaris glanced back.  A smile crossed her face as she watched Lyra cautiously offer a small lemur a few berries.  Even when she soaked in denial of need for connection, it was as if the compassion she would have shared with other humans was impossible to contain, and spilled over to everything she felt safe around.  

 

With limited experience among humans, it was a beautifully alien sight; dragons rarely bothered with anything that wasn't either another dragon, or prey.  To spend compassion on a creature which could serve them no purpose was bogglingly pointless to most; it was no wonder why Celosia had found humankind so charmingly odd.  A frown was wiped from Amaris's features before Lyra could take note; Celosia would have adored Lyra, given the opportunity to meet her. 

"What is this thing?" Lyra asked, her eyes placed cautiously on the branch near the lemur to observe it without intimidation, the softness of her expression rivaling the lemur's endearing appearance.  

 

"It is a lemur," Amaris said.  After a puzzled moment, Lyra nodded.  She supposed when asking for the name of an unrecognizable animal, she should have expected a name she had never heard before.  Without any context surrounding the word, "lemur" hardly identified the creature further for her, but at least calling it a lemur was shorter than calling it the creature.  She nodded as if she hadn't just heard that word for the first time. 

 

The small lemur cautiously crept along the branch toward Lyra's hand.  It moved as if dazed, causing Lyra's brows to furrow with concern. "It is not injured," Amaris reassured, "It is nocturnal, however.  To still be awake this late in the day must be disorienting. It will be fine after some sleep." 

 

Amaris moved cautiously closer; while some animals flocked to the mirrors of her true form, or could be coaxed into coming closer by imitating their form, such small, timid creatures often vanished from sight before Amaris could look closely enough to imitate them with accuracy.  She had seen lemurs like this dart away in panic, but never seen one at such proximity, in such a calm state. As she reached Lyra's side she smiled to see the lemur still calmly eating. The thought of anything, much less anything so fragile and skittish, allowing her proximity without panic was a dream of lunacy to the monster she once was.  

 

"Sorry to wake you," Lyra cooed at the lemur as it sat in her palm and accepted a berry.  It blinked lazily as it slowly ate. 

 

"We did not wake it; Jex must have had her sights on Erisimar before we arrived.  Her incantations are carelessly written, and affect the creatures near her targets as well.  Their sleep patterns have been disrupted along with the humans'." 

 

"Why would a dragon have any effect on sleep?"

 

"It is how Jex hunts.  Her first spell allows her to sense dreams as if they were a scent in the air or a sound in the distance.  No matter how humans try to conceal themselves, their dreams summon her. She must have targeted Erismar because their defenses are so effective against her other senses.  Their continued survival in disputed territory is an open challenge as far as Jex is concerned. Her second spell lulls them peacefully into sleep, so they approach their dreams unguarded.  Just before they slip into the deep state of sleep when one dreams and restores themselves, the third spell suspends them and creates nightmares to torment them. Whether they wake screaming or cry out in their slumber, they do not rest.  She continues every night until sleep deprivation renders the humans entirely defenseless, then kills them in broad daylight at her leisure."

 

"That's... horrifying."  Lyra shivered. "Was everyone in the city like this?" The concern returned to Lyra's expression with more intensity.  

 

"Not to this extent; many of them appeared tired, but not exceptionally so.  It seems Jex was not here long enough to accumulate harm. By this morning they have likely had the rest required to recover.  The size of this creature may have caused the effects to be more potent, but it will recover soon as well." Amaris gave the lemur an apologetic look, timidly reaching to imitate the action Lyra seemed entranced by.  

 

Lyra's expression became almost pained as she tried to stifle the cackling which would have sent the lemur scurrying- the squeak Amaris uttered at how endearingly the lemur leaned its head to encourage her to pet it just behind its ear sounded a lot like Lyra did when Amaris called her a mouse. 

 

When their eyes met, Lyra's grin made the laughter audible to Amaris anyway.  "I did not expect it to be so soft." She glanced at it affectionately before her brow furrowed, "why must it be so defenseless? I do not want it to die, yet it has nothing to fight off a predator with.”  After a moment of thought, she announced, “I will keep it in our house, safe from the perils of the forest." Lyra's gaze turned cautious as she wondered how to sincerely ask Amaris if she could handle the responsibility of keeping a pet without it sounding insulting.  

 

Before it could be of any discussion, the lemur seemed to decide it had been handled enough, and leapt to a nearby branch.  Amaris seemed to consider giving chase as it darted into the depths of the forest.

 

"It can handle itself, it has so far," Lyra said, "If you try to take its autonomy, it'll fear you as much as death."  Amaris nodded, and turned her attention to a thick cluster of vines a little further down the path. After summoning another whip of water from the shore, Amaris sliced through the vegetation, examining the cleanliness of the cuts in the debris as she moved forward.  Perhaps nature was not to be meddled with, but Jex was an unnatural occurrence. Preventing her return to her hunt would be an expression of gratitude to the life which graced their home without robbing them of anything.


	18. Chapter 18

With one final lash from the whip of water to mark the end of the long walk, a wall of sunlight blinded Lyra.  By the time she had blinked away the spots in her vision, Amaris had placed the bundle she carried on top of a large piece of driftwood, and was now combing the beach, her eyes piercing through the sand with a thoughtful look.  She stopped her pacing as she fixated upon a spot between her feet. A startled laugh erupted from Lyra when Amaris dug into the sand by punching her arm elbow-deep with one motion. When she retrieved it, she held something tarnished but glittering in her fist.  “Now I need something alive,” Amaris muttered, glancing at the wildflowers growing at the fringe of the forest. She selected a small blush blossom, and sat on the sand, placing it beside her. 

 

Moving closer as Amaris produced a small flame from her fingertip and began to heat the trinket in her hand until it glowed orange, Lyra watched in fascination.  It seemed to be a gold necklace with an empty setting for a large stone. Once the setting was softened, Amaris carefully shaped it into what could have looked like a tiny vase at the end of the chain, although it had intricate cutouts that would prevent it from holding water.  She lifted a hand expectantly and a palm-sized amount of water landed upon it as if it were a bird. Lyra’s fascination grew as Amaris tilted her palm as if to pour the water out of it; the water remained in her hand, but salt and sand rained from it, the water becoming nearly invisibly pure.  She then cooled and cleaned the necklace with it, leaving the gold gleaming. Now that the heat wasn't an issue, Lyra sat on the sand next to Amaris, who smiled at the fascination of her audience.

 

Amaris murmured in a language Lyra could only assume was draconic; nothing in its cadence or sounds reminded her of any human language, although it was phonetically hypnotic.  Before the wildflower even touched the necklace it seemed to take on new life, roots sprawling out of the stem to grasp at the small vessel Amaris had crafted for it, weaving throughout the carvings.  The flower rested at the top of the vessel, as if it was a pot without soil. From within the roots a faint white glow appeared. The flower's petals turned white as the gold took on a rosy hue. 

Amaris offered it to Lyra, who eagerly examined its details upon accepting it. “It carries a powerful sensory suppression spell.  You only need to wish to be hidden to become imperceptible," Amaris said, "it will activate on its own if it senses Jex within a hundred miles of you.  You should not have to be limited to hiding underwater every time I visit the humans for supplies."

 

“I’ve never seen someone use a plant in an enchanted item before,” Lyra said, tracing her finger across one of the petals as she let the necklace rest in her palm for a moment.  It felt alive; if the object had been placed in her hand without her seeing it, she would have imagined a hummingbird had perched upon her. "I've only ever heard of using blood to bind spells to objects."  She narrowly avoided a wince at the imagery associated with the usual sacrifices cruelly made to immortalize incantations, and the consistent offerings required to sustain its strength.

 

“That is because most humans work from carelessly translated texts; the original incantation for binding a spell to an object was written in draconic and shared with every human leader, but most wished to cast it in their own tongue.  Many of them mistook our word for ‘essence of life’ to mean ‘blood,' and our word for 'symbiosis' to mean 'sacrifice.' The original script uses a plant, which converts what it collects in its leaves and roots into life. A modification is made to the incantation to supply the plant with the components it requires.  When bound correctly, the spell sustains the plant as the plant hosts it. It will not wither and the spell will not weaken." Amaris watched Lyra examine the detailed latticework the roots had formed. “Do you like it?”

 

“Of course.  It’s beautiful, Amaris.”  After fumbling with the clasp for a moment, Lyra turned to Amaris for aid, who kissed the base of her neck as if to add her signature to the piece which was pleasantly warm against Lyra’s skin. 

 

While Lyra’s back was to her, Amaris let out a tiny, relieved sigh.  Until this moment, the thought of Jex returning at any second had made Lyra seem terrifyingly fragile, and the thought of Lyra confined to a hiding place every moment Amaris was not beside her had been agonizingly unfair.  Knowing Lyra could disappear from Jex’s senses at any moment without aid was comforting. 

 

“I’ve never seen such a beautiful place before,” Lyra said through a sigh of contentment as she gazed at the water dancing with the sunlight.  Even gazing upon a cluttered seascape in a dingy settlement within Anaviosi, Lyra had always felt a quiet peace emanating from the sea. “You mentioned there was a city?  I haven’t seen a trace of it.” The curiosity was beginning to burn as she saw more of the island without a trace of humanity. The human settlements she was accustomed to were often marked with an overabundance of fungi in the surrounding terrain, most of them escaped as spores from the workshops of humans attempting to grow either more plentiful food or more potent poison with magic.

 

“That is because Erismar floats upon the sea.  Leaving the island untouched makes it easy to deceive dragons into believing it unpopulated, and Erismar is camouflaged in sight, scent, and sound by the waves.”  Amaris smiled as she spoke of them.

 

Lyra gazed out at the sea, sharp points of light tossed by the water obscuring it in spots.  An idea brought a wide grin to her face. "I could use this to visit the city with you," Lyra's eyes gleamed along with the gold; all her life she had fantasized of being able to exist among others while being left alone.

 

Amaris's brow furrowed a bit through the soft smile as she considered her words.  To be a ghost among humans would not suffice as connection with them. Right now Lyra was beaming in relief to imagine the skies cleared, but Amaris felt the charges building as reality began to strike; all the light of the sun wouldn't reach her if she kept hiding in shadow.  

 

The way Lyra's breath caught at the sight of the conflict attempting to pry open Amaris's lips revealed that a reminder of such things would cause a downpour of tears.  It was hidden as well as anything could hide in those eyes, but they betrayed Lyra with a quiet admission that she needed no reminders. Amaris wished she knew what it was she needed. She cursed herself; Lyra had saved her from a millennia of servitude, had helped her recover from monstrosity, yet something as simple in comparison as saving Lyra from isolation, helping her recover from such a simple fear as being disliked, left Amaris baffled.  It was horrifically unfair, and Amaris wished she could incinerate all which blocked out the sun without leaving Lyra burned.

 

Amaris removed the conflict from her eyes and grew her grin, "I would love for you to accompany me."  

 

Relief replaced the worry Lyra had presumed was hidden behind her eyes, which returned to glimmering as she examined the details of Amaris's work. The sight of her so happy in the moment soothed Amaris's smile into growing comfortable upon her features.  The issue could not be ignored forever, but that did not mean it had to be dealt with instantly. 

 

For now, the sun scattered diamonds across the waves and made the sand feel alive as it radiated warmth.  The clear sky offered a stage for the choir of birds, and the air was sweetened by the sea. It was a moment to enjoy.  They savored it in a kiss, and Amaris let the conversation slip away. 

 

After a short while, the breeze switched direction to whisk the saccharine scent of the parchment bundle to Lyra, grabbing her by the chin to turn her head.  The movement was too sudden to go without notice, and Amaris chuckled. Retrieving the parcel of sweets from the driftwood she'd left it on, Amaris broke the seal and untied the twine as she returned to Lyra's side.  Unwrapping it graced the air with light floral hints to the warm tones of vanilla and sugar. "Maiara's son is one of the best bakers in Erisimar. Perhaps I heard that from a biased source, but nothing she has told me has been wrong yet."  

 

Lyra doubted it could be a lie. The dozen sweet rolls were drizzled in fragrant honey, and garnished with flower petals.  There appeared to be three flavors, the first almost unbearably sweet in scent with soft pink rose petals, the second more heavy in vanilla with a hint of lavender and a single sprig of the flower placed carefully on top, the third scented like black tea with a hint of bergamot, adorned with small white petals.  Unsure if the petals were edible, Lyra sampled one as she selected one of the rolls which smelled like tea. On its own the flavor was a bit potent, but left sprinkled upon the sweets they were lovely. 

 

While such foods served her no purpose other than flavor, Amaris eagerly took a bite from one of the lavender rolls and sighed aloud; the human discovery of sugar was truly revolutionary.  As she savored the sweets, Amaris was reminded how she'd put off eating anything substantial, the minuscule portion a tease to her appetite.

 

In the distance, a feeding frenzy caused a massive tuna with bright yellow fins to leap from the water, the blood dripping from its scales filling the air with a delectable scent.  Amaris's stomach growled despite her intention to ignore it. "You should hunt," Lyra said with apology in her voice; the sun signaled that it was at least early afternoon, and despite how eagerly it was made, a meal had gone by which offered Amaris nothing which could sate her. "You don't have to delay meals just to keep me company."

 

Amaris laughed, the sound a melody to the rhythm of the waves.  "Your guilt is unnecessary. In that cell, sleeping and eating were the only things I ever did.  To have so much else to my life that I could forget about one of them is a gift. Now that I have remembered, however," her eyes gleamed as she scanned the sea, "I think I'll continue to take full advantage of not being fed like a rat in a cage anymore.  I almost forgot how exhilarating it is to hunt; I might even go after something I'll have to fight first."

 

"There are things in the ocean that can put up a fight with you?" Lyra balked.  The predators which came to mind were small in comparison to Amaris's true form.  Perhaps some whales could match or outsize her, but they didn't seem nearly as equipped to fight as she was. 

 

"Everything gets bigger and scarier the deeper you dive," Amaris said, a mischievous grin spreading across her face at the way Lyra's eyes widened with horror before narrowing in suspicion as she stared down the sea.

 

"I think I hate knowing that."

 

"Do not worry.  They are deep in the water, hiding in absolute darkness as if to spare themselves the incomprehensible horror of their own forms.  They survive under the weight of an environment that would demolish anything which walks on land, their power carried over from eons before your history."

 

"Oh god, no," The way Amaris's voice and eyes danced stole a small chuckle from Lyra as she realized the news was not of threat, however she couldn't help but feel she now knew a dark, forbidden secret as she shot another look at the sea.  

 

"There is truly no need to concern yourself," Amaris's grin grew and she took a few steps back toward the ocean as she spoke, "I assure you they are lurking very, very deep beneath that innocuous surface... waiting to rise once more."  Amaris turned and sprinted for the shore, cackling at the way a shudder had immediately led into a look of realization and an eye roll. With a single leap she shifted in midair, crashing through the waves as Lyra groaned.

 

Lyra gave the ocean another suspicious glare as she laid back against the sand.  She was unsure if it was the length of the walk which had exhausted her, or if it was simply the blanket of the sun and the warm bed of sand which lulled her, but a deep slumber crept over Lyra as she intended to rest her eyes for only a moment.

 

Rosalind was a gift at times like these; she filled the air with so much of her voice nobody noticed the absence of Lyra's, although she couldn't shield all of the odd looks directed at the silent child seated beside her. Rosalind didn't seem to notice, however, so Lyra knew she was just imagining things; if anyone were actually cruel, Rosalind wouldn't tolerate it.  

 

Lyra ran her fingers through her hair, tucking it nicely behind her ear, and repeated the action to confirm it was thorough; stray hairs were a nuisance.  A pair of eyes fixated on Lyra, and she kept her own eyes darting between the ground with a blank look and Rosalind with the occasional approving nod at the points a bolder child would have jumped into the conversation.  

 

As if unsure what else to do with her hands, and painfully aware they ought to be doing something, Lyra tucked her hair behind her ears once more.  She heard a chuckle, and her heart began to race, her stomach dropping. She had been staring at her shoes, and her inability to decide what was being mocked overcame her mind as she came up with all the ways it could be laughable to sit quietly and stare at her shoes.  A quick glance to Rosalind showed no frustration upon her face, so Lyra's heartbeat slowed as she decided she hadn't been the target of the laughter.

 

A stray hair tickled Lyra's brow.  She ran her fingers through her hair, twice to ensure every strand was tucked behind her ears.  Another laugh. Lyra met the eyes of the child who had been staring, grinning ear to ear as he imitated the motion of tucking his hair behind his ears several times.  Rosalind's eyes were fixated upon her friend's expression as she spoke, and nobody else seemed to take note of the silent exchange while they hung on Rosalind's words.  Lyra returned her eyes to the ground, unnaturally still now. Hair fell in her face as her chin tilted down, the sensation like insects crawling across her skin. She left it alone as she waited for everyone except Rosalind to leave.  

 

Hours later they finally did, and Lyra's voice could be released.  Addressing her for the first time in those hours, Rosalind beamed, "See, nothing bad happened!  I told you they'd like you. Wasn't it nice to be around people other than me for once?" 

 

She had been so excited for Lyra to meet her other friends, and her eyes danced to the syllables of what she expected to hear.  Lyra forced the best smile she could and read out her response, "They were great. I had fun." A bird seemed to suddenly catch her attention as she ran after it, although it was only an excuse to relax her expression, the twitch in her muscles warning that the feigned smile would melt into a grimace within moments.  

 

"Stop doing that with your face," mother snapped, "you look crazy."

 

"My smile keeps getting weird," Lyra protested; ten years was hardly the time to establish the vocabulary for a more proper explanation.  Lyra had been smiling as big as she could. But once she noticed how sore her muscles were from it, she couldn't stop noticing. Her smile slipped and once she was aware, it was all she could think of, how ugly her smile was becoming as she struggled to remember what it originally looked like.  

 

"You're not smiling, you look like you hate everyone," mother replied, leaning in close to whisper as her eyes nervously darted to the other adults.

 

"I don't hate anyone," Lyra tilted her head down so the hair obscured the face she couldn't fix.  She watched a spider crawl over her foot, a loathsome sensation that solving would require an outburst of shaking her foot, which could even be accompanied by a squeal if she wasn't careful, so she grit her teeth and let it pass.  It was at least something to think of other than the thoughts buzzing in everyone else's head, so Lyra stoically fixated on the spindly red legs, wondering if the bright compliment to its sickly yellow orb and orange eyes hinted of venom. 

 

A motionless perch offered no reason for defense, so it returned harmlessly to the ground and became an object of envy as it moved away.  For a moment Lyra wondered if being bitten would have made her ill enough to excuse her from her current obligation, although it took no wondering to decide whether she would prefer this or the venom as she cursed the spider for refusing to rescue her with it.  

 

"Well then quit grimacing at the floor!"  Mother's voice grabbed her jaw and jerked her chin up in a motion which would break a neck with continuation of its path, "You wouldn't even look Mr. Daske in the eye when he tried so hard to be friendly.  He asked what your interests are three times and all you did was mutter 'nothing' to shut him up. He just pulled me aside to ask if he offended you; he felt awful because he thought he was the one who did something wrong."

 

Tears formed in Lyra's eyes as guilt boiled her from within.  Mr. Daske was pleasant; she didn't intend to upset him. But his eyes were far too demanding, nearly painful to look into, as she had no answers planned for the questions he asked.  She had yet to find an interest that pleased mother, so she knew honesty would only disappoint him, or give mother a jumping point for the usual cheerfully disappointed diatribe of how silly and aimless Lyra could be, which she seemed to give to other adults just to be reassured that Lyra was pretty enough to marry a man with stability.  The smile had been maintained for half of that conversation, faltering on its own when she couldn't hold it anymore; she really meant to be smiling. The tears were stifled with ease after seemingly endless practice; tears were an accusation of wrongdoing, and if seen, Lyra would be drowned in the guilt of how the tears hurt mother, who swore she was only ever doing what was best out of love.  It was cruel to respond to such love with anything but gratitude, cruel to criticize by crying.

 

The emotions which constricted Lyra's chest began to ferment as questions occurred to her, glancing from her mother's chin and noting the frustration which thinned her lips, to the shoulders of the others, who all seemed to be enjoying themselves.  If she was such a burden to be around, Lyra wondered why the entire ordeal was necessary. She didn't know these people enough for anything to draw her to their company, she didn't like the stiff dress mother had stuffed her in and announced dinner would be rationed until it stopped clinging to Lyra's stomach, she had no desire to be in this space.  It was everyone else apparently who would want her there, according to mother. Mother insisted as if refusal was a dagger to her soul. Yet mother was disappointed, and nobody else would even notice Lyra's absence. She saw no point to this miserable performance which left the audience hollow of their joy. She could have stayed in the sanctuary of solitude, and she wouldn't be fighting back tears.  

 

Everything darkened around Lyra.  She felt something crawl across her arm and yelped, loathing the sticky tickle of the beetles' feet as they poured from within the pages of the sketchbook.  It was an easier object to hurl away from her and watch disappear into solid darkness than it should have been, given the time she had poured into the pages.  

 

Sickly orange smoke filled the air.  Every breath was an inferno in Lyra’s lungs.  She tried to call for Amaris. She suffocated.

 

“Lyra?”  A comforting hand gently shook her shoulder, a soft siren’s call returning her to the sunlight, “were you having a nightmare?” Amaris asked.  Concern burdened her lips, her eyes attempting a diagnosis as Lyra sat up groggily.

 

“Just a common bad dream," Lyra's voice carried the aftermath in an unconvincing waver.  She averted her eyes in worry they'd expose how her gut felt as if a knife had carved it open; none of the moments from her dream had been significant enough to mention at the time, or had even been thought of for years, so they certainly weren't worth ruining such a lovely day with.  It was just a small selection of old memories dredged up from a spot they were mechanically returned to by now. 

 

“You were screaming for me,” Amaris said, “I thought you were dying."  She stared as if Lyra was fragile, which plastered a brave face over what lingered of the reaction to her nightmare as she prepared a convincing denial of its significance.  

 

"I'm sorry I worried you.  I'm fine now," Lyra reassured.  An old guilt nibbled at her ankles as she thought of how the worry in Amaris's eyes was both an unnecessary burden, and Lyra's fault entirely for crying out.

 

"Did your dream involve dragons?" Amaris asked, the concern in her eyes refusing to falter from Lyra's resistance to it.

 

Relief washed over Lyra as she realized how easily the memories could go without mention; it was now clear as Amaris glanced warily at the sky that the only question truly being asked, was whether or not Jex had a hand in the nightmare.  Lyra let out the breath she'd anxiously held and was thrilled to give both an honest and reassuring answer at once, "No, nothing even related to dragons, and no signs of Jex." Before Amaris had opportunity to ask what had caused her caterwauling, Lyra dropped the honesty to double down on reassurance, "I had a dream I was flying, but I fell.  I called for you to catch me, and you woke me up.” She smiled. “You saved me even from imagined peril.” It worked; Amaris finally stopped running her eyes over Lyra as if to seek out the network of cracks which must exist beneath the surface. 

 

Amaris nearly laughed at herself; there wasn’t a hint of Jex in the atmosphere, and the range of her magic was hardly over fifty miles.  It was foolish to worry of such an impossibility as her interference. Lyra gave the sun a confused look as she noted how much it had moved since she closed her eyes, and Amaris explained, “You have been asleep for hours."

 

"You could have woken me," Lyra's tone was apologetic.  

 

"You were peaceful until just now.  Besides, I am more than capable of filling my time.  I have been hoarding pretty things on the beach," Amaris said.

 

Following Amaris’s gesture along the beach, Lyra’s eyes fell upon an eclectic collection of objects.  Next to a massive upturned clam shell covered by several large leaves was a pile of gold coins, jewelry, and the occasional gemstone, which was dwarfed by a pile of sea glass and pieces of colorful ceramics.  Neither pile could compare to the mountain of vibrant shells and vivid bits of coral which graced the beach with jewel tones against elegant pastels. "My old collection was unrivaled; since most dragons cannot move in water as I can, they have to split the riches of the land while I have the entire sea to comb."

 

Amaris plucked a shell which looked like a smooth miniature conch adorned with brown dots from the pile, "It almost looks like someone painted this one," Amaris said cheerily, and held it out to Lyra for further examination.  Before Lyra could reach for it, however, a snail oozed its head out of its sanctuary, and Amaris quickly jerked her hand away, "nevermind, I did not realize that was still alive," she said as she hurled it back into the ocean, "stay away from the shells.  Apparently there are still venomous creatures in some of those." Amaris sighed as she began to sense slow movement within shells that had been perfectly still earlier; in her absence, she had forgotten how stealthy snails could be when startled.

 

Lyra shot another suspicious look at the sea and took several steps back from the shells as Amaris strode to the giant clam shell, shooing a seagull away as she removed the leaves to reveal it to be full of seawater.  The shell came up to Lyra’s shoulder, and she stood on her toes to get a decent look at its occupants. Two lobsters with claws the size of hands paced around each other in a circle, mirroring each other’s sudden movements as threat to one another while maintaining their distance.  “Maiara says apparently these oceanic scorpions are delicious. I will boil them alive."

 

“Do they need to be alive for that?" Lyra asked as Amaris carefully created a wall of ice to trap the lobsters in the corner and began to fill the rest of the space with the shells she'd now have to sort through.

 

"Of course.  It isn't much of a punishment if their deaths are quick."

 

"Um… do they  _ need  _ to be punished?"

 

“There were many beautiful fish in there that I enjoyed looking at until I allowed these murderers amongst them,” Amaris nearly hissed as she glared at the lobsters, “I will boil them alive and laugh.”

 

“Oh.  Ok.” Amaris seemed too set on revenge to talk her out of it.  

 

Turning her attention to the sky, Lyra shuddered to see it matched the shade of the orange haze from her dreams, although it was simply a trick of the light as the sun began to set.  “Is anything wrong?” Amaris asked.

 

“Just a chill,” Lyra said.  She glanced back up at the sky; it was far more beautiful than the atmosphere of her dreams.  Amaris found her gaze held by the sun’s descent as well, and the two of them laid on the beach watching it melt into the ocean.  Soon the sky was a vibrant red, the sun’s light bleeding into the waves.

 

As sun sank below the horizon and the remnants of its light faded to reveal the stars, it began a celebration of the sanctuary they shared within one another's arms.  


	19. Chapter 19

“It’s almost like you’re a mighty dragon,” Jex’s voice caused the water surrounding Amaris to waver for a moment; it surrounded her in the shape of her form, creating a massive crystalline dragon which dwarfed Jex.  As if only feigning interest to humor Amaris, Jex’s eyes quickly shut again as she laid back upon the sand. 

 

Amaris frowned, and dropped the water in embarrassment when it echoed the expression, supposing she was fortunate Jex hadn’t witnessed, already half-asleep in the blazing sunlight.  While the tropical waters were usually a blanket around Amaris, she felt a chill seep in from the shore. “Very few dragons in the galaxy can do what I can; I thought you might have wanted to see.”

 

“Did I not just compliment you?  What more do you want from me, worship?”  Jex opened her eyes to glare as she hissed.

 

“I suppose I want nothing more,” Amaris said calmly.  

 

“Then you might finally let me sleep; I am only exhausted because I let you drag me to the moon and back.  I’ll watch your little performance after I’ve had a chance to rest,” Jex said, closing her eyes and turning her back to Amaris as she found a comfortable position for slumber.

 

Without another word, Amaris dove underwater, the vibrant soundscape of the ocean roaring over the land and the sky.  Her markings became mirrors as the rest of her seemed to melt into the water. Creating a current around her, Amaris cut through the sea at a blinding speed.  By the time she surfaced to admire the sun beginning to set, Jex was imperceptible from the distance.

 

A pod of orcas spotted the mirrors of her markings and chirped in fascination as they pranced closer.  Amaris dove back under to watch in amusement as they examined the odd flashes of light and chattered theories amongst themselves.  

 

In the depths something stirred.  Amaris redirected a jet of boiling water before it could pick off the most oblivious of the pod. The orcas scattered at the sight of the serpent who rose from the depths, nearly rivaling Amaris in size.  

 

The serpent’s second attempt to scald its fleeing prey was sent directly into its face.  As it screeched and spasmed in pain, Amaris directed a current behind the orcas to sweep them far from its senses.

 

Amaris snickered as the serpent scowled around for a foe to take vengeance upon, its eyes unable to cut through Amaris’s camouflage.  With a screech at nothing, the serpent surfaced for air before its search for a new target. Realizing it had been a while since a fight had given her reasonable outlet for her frustrations, Amaris wondered how much restraint she would need to make their battle last longer than moments, and if holding back would make it too boring to bother.

 

There was no warning of the other dragon’s descent until she had already landed pristinely upon the surface of the water, tearing the serpent from the sea as if she was a bird plucking a worm from the Earth.  

 

Uncertainty chased off Amaris’s smile, her eyes widening at the sight.  Even with the water distorting her image, her size indicated she was a star.  The massive serpent was dwarfed by the vicious talons curled around it, and with a slight tensing of her grip, the sound of ribs snapping silenced the beast.  As she devoured it, she revealed fangs the size of Amaris’s hands. Such a titan could easily snuff out any annoyance; perhaps it was best to leave before she mistook Amaris as competition for her prey.  

 

Before Amaris could do so, the other dragon plunged her head underwater, her misty, owl-like eyes landing on Amaris immediately.  She attempted to speak, which led to laughter at the bubbles her voice had become. Her eyes moved from Amaris to the surface and back; her smile melted the frostbite Jex’s voice had left.

 

Amaris crawled up from the water as if the surface was solid, standing before the blue giant.  “I thought only stars had enough control over gravity to stand on water,” she said, eyeing Amaris curiously, “and I have not seen anyone move  _ through  _ water like that.  How do you manage it?”  The stranger’s eyes were dancing at the sight of Amaris; it felt wonderful.  

 

“I am the moon of this world,” Amaris said, “my gravity shifts its tides, so I may manipulate its ocean.”

 

“Fortune seems to favor you,” the stranger marveled, “few are granted such interesting abilities by their celestial bodies.  May I ask for your name?”

 

“Amaris.”

 

“Such a lovely name,” the stranger’s smile lifted Amaris’s heart, “I am Celosia.  I was just visiting to see this planet’s rumored beauty for myself, but it seems I might have found reason to call this place home.”  

 

Amaris raised an eyebrow at the smoothness of her tone, and laughed when Celosia responded with an obvious grin and a wink.  “You’re bold.” 

 

“Foolishly so at times.  But usually it works for me.”  Amaris found that difficult to doubt as the air around her cheeks threatened to ignite at the sight before her.  Celosia was statuesque, her regal features surrounded by piercing blue plumage which fluttered like embers in the breeze.  Each individual feather was reminiscent in shape and hue of the flame of a candle in shades of blue. Her large, endearing eyes betrayed the vicious talons which Amaris found easy to avoid as she stared, despite being nearly eye-level.  

 

“What makes you so certain I am such a draw to this place, that you would call it home on a whim?  You know nothing of me.”

 

“Yes, but I’m intrigued to learn more.  Worst case scenario is that life continues without one another; it’s hardly enough risk not to entertain my whims.”  

 

When Amaris next blinked, her eyes would not open.  As she opened her mouth to question the darkness for Celosia’s presence, her voice was muffled by her teeth sinking through scales.  Amaris tasted Celosia’s blood and screamed, sputtering and coughing as it dripped from her teeth. A horrid cackle cracked through the darkness like lightning.

 

At the sound of Jex’s voice Amaris grit her teeth and imagined the taste of water, washing the blood from her senses.  Aware that they could do so now, Amaris opened her eyes. A noxious-looking orange fog burned Amaris’s throat for only a moment before she remembered it didn’t have to.  “Had you not abandoned me for her, I might have died in her place; I suppose I ought to thank you for your cruelty,” Jex’s voice rumbled, surrounding Amaris as if the source was the clouds which thickened to the appearance of soiled cotton around her feet.

 

Amaris snarled.  “Was I supposed to find pity for  _ you  _ in that memory?  Play it back a thousand times and I still will not consider my voluntary actions to be of any issue.”  As rage boiled in her core, Amaris decided the dream ought to be as insufferable for Jex as her; in a voice dripping with sweetness soaked in the saltiest mockery, she said, “did I not let you take your nap?”

 

“You left without a word!” Jex hissed, “by the time I woke up you were hanging off the arm of the first person to fawn over you a little bit!  How dare you speak as if no harm was done!”

 

“You couldn’t even be bothered to act like you wanted me there!”  Amaris roared as her eyes boggled at Jex’s interpretations, as if they hadn’t both lived through the same events, “What was I supposed to do, spend my life in quiet proximity waiting for the scarce moments in which you might lavish me with a moment of attention, or maybe even compassion if all the stars in the universe happened to spell out the concept for you?” Amaris hissed, “how does this even still concern you?  For thousands of years the world has been available to you, and you could have found a countless number of things worth that time; you could have forgotten my name as you savored life. Every day I rotted in that cell I dreamed of what you squandered resenting me over nothing! I knew you felt some sort of twisted ownership over me, but this is lunacy!“

 

“ _ My celestial body reacted to you, and you dare call my actions lunacy?”  _ Jex howled.  She stomped out of the darkness as if stepping out from behind a curtain.  The light which reflected off the orange smoke gave her white scales a sickly glow, the red splatters of markings which covered her appearing to stream down her like they were sourced from rain.

 

“It practically exploded!” Amaris snapped, her voice rising with disbelief over Jex’s claim, “It felt like liquid fire seeped through my scales, and it burned for hours after that horrid thing was removed from my presence!  I don’t know what the hell it was supposed to mean, but it certainly wasn’t love.” 

 

The image of Amaris holding a small chunk of rock, orange flames consuming her hand as she howled in misery appeared in the darkness as if it was a window, although Jex’s expression was meticulously void of any awareness of the memory playing out before her.  “Yet you strung me along anyway, dragged me to the moon and back, used me for entertainment and let me believe—“

 

“I never let you believe anything!  I let you visit the moon with me when you insisted that reaction meant something and demanded a chance to prove it; my celestial body proved you wrong when it had no reaction to you.  I only stayed because you begged for a week to show we could have something between us, and you couldn’t even make it that long before you just became cruel!” Amaris found the words exhausting to utter; Jex had been there for it all, and shouldn’t require such explanation.  

 

“You didn’t give me a chance!  You were needy and impatient and—“

 

“If I was so needy and impatient, why do you vilify me for liberating you from my tiresome needs?”  Amaris bared her teeth as she aimed for the jugular, “I won’t shoulder the blame for your refusal to show me anything worth staying for.”

 

_ “I wasn’t worth staying for?”  _ Fire escaped Jex’s mouth as she roared, “Don’t you dare speak as if I am beneath you!  I’ll show you how small you are when you’re unable to stop me from killing your little pet.”

 

“I’ll slaughter you if you so much as touch the surface of this planet,” Amaris snarled.  

 

Jex laughed.  “You consider yourself such a powerful little dragon because of your water tricks?  Well let’s see how powerful you feel when no matter how you resist me in dreams you are helpless in reality.  I’ll deprive both you and your pet of restful slumber even without control over your dreams; in fact, I’ll save all the torment I can’t inflict on you for her.  Your little pet will scream for death as a savior in her slumber and descend into madness in daylight while you can do nothing to stop it. By the time I roam within range for you to make the ocean fight your battles, you will have already watched her waste away into her grave, and you will be unable to lift a claw in your own defense.”  

 

The orange smoke became too dense to see through as Jex’s growl turned to the laughter of stitches unravelling.

 

Amaris jerked awake.  

 

The motion woke Lyra.  “What’s wrong?” She moaned sleepily, tilting her head to gaze up at Amaris through eyes like honey.  More than anything Amaris desired the ability to reassure her all was well, and hold her close as she drifted back off.  

 

“Jex has attacked my dreams.  She intends to target us both until...”  Amaris grimaced; she didn’t want to repeat it aloud.  As Lyra quickly sat up with eyes full of concern, Amaris grasped for any way to face Jex outside the range of her abilities.  Upon admitting to herself a battle without the ocean was as good as lost against a dragon with such advantage in size and raw power, a horrible idea became the only option.  

 

Amaris sighed in preparation of asking far too much.  “We need to draw Jex to the surface so I can defeat her; if she remains in orbit, she’ll just weaken me from afar.  My resistance to her only made her more determined to wait me out. I don’t think I’ll be able to get her to descend earlier than she intends…”  Amaris paused as if to savor the last moment in which Lyra wouldn’t bear such burden, “It is loathsome for me to ask, but I cannot think of any other way; I need you to provoke her in your dreams.  She considers all humans to be beneath her; defiance from one would make her stupid with rage. If you refuse to submit to her in your dreams, she will land to punish you in reality. With that necklace, she will not find you.  She will only find the ocean and I.”

 

“How do I resist her spell?” Lyra asked.  Amaris was stunned not to see hesitation or fear, only determination burning in her eyes.  

 

“Jex may have influence, but it will still be your dream.  Your mind holds power as long as you remember that her reality is false; none of her illusions will affect you if you are aware they are illusions.”  Amaris felt gravity intensify at seeing the confidence in Lyra’s eyes, worrying she may find herself unprepared, “Jex will try to convince you of her reality, and she is masterful at doing so; I believed I was truly reliving an old memory until she revealed herself to taunt me.  You will feel real pain if you believe her reality. At the first signs of resistance, she will try to frighten you and convince you she still has control. She will keep trying harder until she snaps. You will have to be strong,” Amaris’s tone became apologetic, “stronger than you should have to be.”

 

“I spend far too much time over-analyzing this reality to be convinced of another,” Lyra said with a laugh, “and I’ve always had to be stronger than I should have to be.”  The calm confidence on Lyra’s face grew proportionately with the panic on Amaris’s, “She won’t be the first person who tried to convince me that I am weak. I still breathe after people whose approval I had reason to desire attempted to drown me; Jex is nothing in comparison.”

 

With that Lyra laid back, resting her head on Amaris’s chest as she closed her eyes.  “I am here,” Amaris said softly, “no matter what happens in your dream, I am here, and you are safe.”

 

“I know,” Lyra said with a kiss.

 

As Lyra fell asleep, a horrid realization caused a pain in Amaris’s chest which would not relent, her mouth dry as she stared up at the sky.  Since her creation, Jex was never able to extend her abilities farther than fifty miles, a distance which would not reach past the Earth’s atmosphere.  To launch such attacks from orbit, Jex had to have gotten far more powerful.

 

No matter how Lyra moved, her vision ended roughly ten feet before her, as if the darkness was solid beyond that point.  The sound of scales scraping against stone echoed over a low, rattling growl. Lyra did not slow her pace, scanning the area for a hint of Jex in the shadows of what slowly came into focus as the cell.

 

Orange smoke surrounded Lyra’s ankles; the sight ignited her fury as she realized it meant Jex had a hand in her last nightmare.  She grit her teeth as if baring fangs, her nails digging into the palms of her curled fists as if they were claws. 

 

As Lyra remembered her objective, she supposed entertaining the nightmare would illuminate the best way to antagonize Jex; If Jex was the person Lyra had already met behind several eclectic masks, there was one root within the tangle of her reasoning which could unravel her.  Jex would reveal it as a weapon if allowed to believe it would meet no opposition. While Amaris seemed convinced of Jex’s impulsiveness, Lyra knew it would take a blow to the most fragile piece of her pride for Jex to abandon a flawless plan of attack. 

 

Amaris stepped out of the darkness, identified only by the horns she kept from her dragon form.  She had made herself an image of mother; her features seemed to have been filed to points, her cheekbones the edges of blades.  Her narrow body was the comparison with which Lyra’s was always mutilated. Her complexion was pale as always, although the accusation of her stark blue eyes claimed it had been drained of pigment just to show how much she sacrificed to pluck Lyra out of the gutter and give her a home, only for her attempts to cobble together a functional adult from defective parts to fail.  She wore the type of form-fitting dress she’d called sausage casing on Lyra, the luxuries she’d squandered on the unworthy recorded in every stitch of the intricate embroidery. Her shoes kept her elevated, as if disgusted by the streets which tarnished Lyra when she lost those who would have loved her before she was old enough to mourn. 

 

A lungful of fire jolted Lyra as her eyes returned to the orange smoke at her feet in avoidance of the nauseating sight before her.  She nearly filed her teeth to points as she ground them and inhaled a breath she told herself was a frost which would heal the burn. Scowling at the ground behind a curtain of her hair, Lyra’s gut twisted with newfound disgust at Jex for turning Amaris’s image to such an abomination.  

 

The feeling of ice became the anchor with which she tethered herself to truth.  This was just a memory of old suffering plastered over the most uncomfortable possible model, a reminder of the most she had ever disappointed someone projected onto the only person she cared to be accepted by.  The claim Jex made in the juxtaposition of imagery was pure absurdity; had Amaris been anything like mother, Lyra would have considered death to be mercy within moments of meeting her.

 

Without acceptance of the illusion, Jex was only left parroting assaults Lyra had already survived countless times; none of the hurt which hung around memories of mother mattered anymore.  Nothing in the tapestry of harm which she had painstakingly woven had mattered for a long time; it quickly became a condition of survival as Lyra first learned how to craft armor from ice. The cold began to seep from Lyra’s lungs into her blood, but she took the discomfort both as an acceptable alternative to suffocation, and a convenient reminder of her own power.  

 

The way Lyra’s soul broke upon her face was only skin-deep as she whimpered, “Amaris, why have you changed your form?”

 

The illusion seemed pleased to have been asked.  “As I told you before, dragons take only the most beautiful forms when shapeshifting.  It is meant to draw others in, not repulse them; it appears my knowledge of humans was out-of-date.  This is beauty now; the humans thought I was a pudgy orc in my last form.” With a gaze which attempted to pry open Lyra’s ribcage, the illusion added, “I suppose I see why they don’t like you.  It’s such a shame you can’t just shapeshift into something a bit less...” Lyra swore she heard a snicker in the distance as it let the sentence hang for what seemed like forever, before sighing and just vaguely gesturing at Lyra with a laborious look in its eyes, as if it shouldn’t have been pestered for the essay it would take to make a simpleton understand.

 

Hair tumbled over Lyra’s face to conceal her features as her gaze crashed to her feet.  She trembled furiously as it took all of her might not to break the facade by howling with laughter; it had been ages since her appearance had been any concern outside of adornment for aesthetic.  At first it was out of decision she was beautiful after all; now it was simply out of realization that it never mattered in the first place. Beauty was never owed to the eyes which claimed entitlement to her.  

 

Lyra was certain as well that Jex had no understanding of what she even cobbled together; the long-abandoned insecurity was only known through consistent exposure in rising amounts to a world Jex never lived in.  Jex was the same simpleton behind every mask, rattling off whatever sounded like it would hurt without any concept of reality. Lyra feigned the hurt look she knew Jex expected; at the moment, Jex was merely reading from notes she had taken on Lyra’s past.  Jex wouldn’t reveal her own weakness until she invented her own insults. 

 

Pretending she wished to change the subject out of suffering, Lyra offered a juicier one in a shaky voice, “why do you seem so angry with me?”  

 

In the second before the response, Lyra glanced over the illusion’s shoulder in an attempt to analyze the darkness, reminding herself that her eyes should be able to see at least something.  The image of jagged fangs dripping with anticipation and wrenched into the shape of a frigid smile flashed before her. Lyra willed the ice to form a layer beneath her skin, which felt like invigorating needles both piercing and protecting every inch of her as the illusion opened its mouth to speak.

 

“All I wanted with our freedom was to enjoy it.  Yet any time I spend with you I am isolated! I waited  _ years  _ for you to finally be ready to meet the other humans, to finally live amongst them instead of sneaking away from your solitude to see them every so often, and they all thought you  _ hated  _ them!  You were simply rude when I tried so hard to ensure they were all perfectly nice.  They weren’t even accidentally cruel and you still couldn’t pull your eyes off the floor to give them more than a single word in response to anything they said!  All this time I thought I had to protect you from them, and it turns out the only problem was you. I can’t protect you from being such a disappointment.”

 

Lyra grit her teeth; the anxieties were accurately phrased.  It was only the knowledge that Amaris would never act with such cruelty which kept the air from incinerating her lungs.  Tears began to pour from her eyes. She was certain she heard the snicker this time, as it echoed around the cell. Lyra trembled, speechless for a moment as she wondered when she had last been angry enough to overflow like this.  Jex’s amusement at having found such things in Lyra’s head and strung them together so lethally was future satisfaction as she waited for Jex to show where she could be cut deepest in retaliation.

 

“I’ve lingered too long waiting for you to show me something worth staying for. I’ve grown bored with you, just like everyone before you,” the illusion hissed.

 

There it was; Lyra nearly howled with laughter at the sheer pettiness.  Losing any need for a facade, Lyra didn’t bother to feign fear anymore as a ravenous look filled the illusion’s eyes, carrying the same murderous grin into its dragon form as it added, “Jex was right after all; it is convenient that you can become prey when I no longer desire a pet.  After holding back all this time, I’m going to savor what I’ve only been teased with tastes of.” 

 

The illusion slowly opened its jaws to brandish its fangs as it inched closer to draw out the suspense.  Unflinching, Lyra’s tone was one of only vague curiosity as she said, “You never told me about getting bored of anyone before.  If this is my dream, how do you know that?” She put on the most obnoxious grin she could muster; now that she had her weapon, it was time to push Jex to the edge before using it.  

 

The illusion froze for a moment with a look of blank shock Lyra was certain echoed across Jex’s face.  It seemed to jerk back to its senses, plastering hatred over its features as it spoke. “Who said this is a dream?  Do you hope you will simply wake up to spare yourself this fate? Go ahead and try; you’ll find that you can’t. Nothing can save you from me; you knew since you first met me that your safety would only last as long as it took for me to decide to kill you.”  

 

“Then why are we in the cell?”  Lyra suppressed her snickers in order to realistically play the simpleton Jex cast her as, “When I’m awake now, I’m on an island.”

 

“ _ What?”   _ The harsh and hushed voice came from the darkness before Lyra.  With a low growl creeping through the fog at Lyra’s feet, the beach replaced the cell as the illusion’s backdrop.  

 

“Oh wow, the island…”  Insight was a chacichature across Lyra’s features as she gave the image of the island a mockery of inspection.  After the moment had drawn on long enough to hint at a processed thought, she said, “Put more birds on it.”

 

“What are you blathering on about?”  The illusion howled as a flock of birds appeared in the tree Lyra stared at intensely, “have you nothing to say in defense of your life?  I should have silenced you long ago.”

 

“Sorry Jex, that transition was just so jarring, it’s really ruined immersion for me.” Lyra turned her focus to the blank expanse of beach over her shoulder, where the subtle shuffle of claws across sand had circled to.  She felt the heat rising from that spot; it glanced off her armor as the trees marking the beginning of the forest began to burst into flame.

 

“Jex fled, you imbecile!  To think I’ve waited this long to rid the world of such an annoyance!”  The illusion roared in demand of the attention Lyra placed on the sand before her, deciding there ought to be seashells and watching them appear around her feet with a gleeful look in her eyes.

 

Lyra knelt down and began picking them up, painstakingly examining each as she continued to withhold her gaze from the illusion.  With every second of the action the temperature of the beach rose, melting the sand into glass with the exception of a small patch around Lyra.   

 

Knowing she could not be touched, Lyra let the pause draw on a little longer before sweetening her voice as if to entertain a toddler, “Oh, well, I don’t know if I can just jump back into the scene now.  But you seemed really happy to have a friend to play with, so I’ll try my best. What was Amaris just doing, again?” She asked as she turned her back to the illusion.

 

“ _ Eating you!”   _ The exasperated voice seemed to come from an invisible source before her.  

 

“Thanks, Jex.”

 

With a screech, the illusion of Amaris lunged for Lyra, snapping its jaws as if to tear off her head, although it moved right through her, and vanished when she laughed.  Cracks spread like roots through the glass beach. Through them Lyra could see Amaris cautiously watching the skies, her arms around Lyra as if afraid someone might try to take her away.  

 

The scene reset, a flash of complete darkness replaced with the image of Amaris’s dragon form looming over Lyra in the dim cell.  “Oh, so we’re trying things that already didn’t work,” Lyra clicked her tongue in disappointment, “out of ideas already? You have so much to work with; my mind is a mess!  I’m better at scaring myself than you are at scaring me. I should be the nightmare dragon, and you should find a more positive outlet for your....” Lyra let the sentence trail off, the pause maddeningly long as her expression hinted at a lengthy thought process, before simply sighing and gesturing vaguely at the spot Jex’s voice had rumbled from.  

 

The outrage in Jex’s roar signaled that it was time to tear that root out. “You mentioned earlier that Amaris got bored with others before me.  How do you know?”

 

“ _ What?” _

 

“Amaris never said anything about leaving anyone, especially not out of boredom.  How do I know you’re not lying?” 

 

“It is true! I have heard about it from many others!”

 

“Pretty pathetic that dragons just sit around talking about the private lives of other dragons.” 

 

“ _ Only humans do that!  Dragons have far more to do with their lives than—“ _

 

“Then who did you hear it from?”  Lyra asked as if questioning a child about gossip.  There was a short pause as Lyra could almost hear the spark of realization in Jex that Lyra already had the answer.  

 

“You arrogant brat!”  Jex appeared from nowhere.  A revolting orange haze obscured her form, her voice the rumble of thunder within the toxic cloud, “How dare you mouth off at a dragon?  I could crush you without effort,” Jex hissed. The smoke slowly began to turn the air opaque.

 

“In reality, sure, you’re terrifying; I won’t pretend you aren’t.  But your words are nothing, and they’re all you have here,” Lyra scowled at where she presumed Jex’s eyes were, “You think you’re clever for listing off things I used to be afraid of, parroting the fears you found rattling around my head? If any of this could break me, I would have broken already.” 

 

Lyra glowered as Jex growled, and raised her voice to speak over the sound, “This predictable little play you’ve put together sucks.  So why don’t we just skip ahead to why you’re here? Amaris let you go. We’ve hardly even thought of you since; this fight between the two of you could end right now if you just left us alone.  Amaris would never follow you.” She plastered an innocent face over the insult as if unaware that the words she chose cut. 

 

Jex lunged forward with a snarl, her bared teeth each taller than Lyra as she stopped only inches from her face, “Why would I infect your nightmares if my intention was peace? I intend to devour you so Amaris will learn how foolish it is to feel for such pathetic creatures as yourself.” 

 

“All this just to teach Amaris a lesson?  You certainly are livid that she found a human worth staying for when she found you too boring to bear.”

 

Jex roared.

 

“Lyra,” Amaris’s voice welcomed her to reality.  “Jex is descending.”

 

“Fly me to the city.  I’ll hide with the others,” Lyra scrambled to her feet as she glanced up at the sky.  The moonlight looked rusted over, and something in the air nearly made Lyra topple in her first attempt to stand.

 

"I thought you weren't ready to be around them.”

 

"I’m not sure I am yet; I'm going to use the necklace to conceal myself.  But if I remain here, you will have to split your attention between protecting the island and fighting Jex.  If I hide underwater, you will have to maintain that bubble for the entire battle. The people of the city will be able to escape Jex without your aid; they have been evading dragons for generations, it seems.  Staying with them reduces your strain." As Lyra spoke, she draped and belted a simple frock from a length of fabric. When she looked up, her heart stopped at the sight of Amaris’s expression. “What is it?”

 

It took a moment for Amaris to respond as the gravity shifted in response to Jex's growing proximity.  Something had mutated in her scent, and the force of two celestial bodies weighed heavily on the environment as sickly orange smoke began to smother the stars.  

 

“She has consumed the heart of another,” Amaris’s voice wavered as the air grew denser, “She possesses the strength of both herself and a titan of smoke.”  Her mouth was dry. To eat the heart of another was told as abhorrent myth; whichever stories were true, Amaris never wished to know. Amaris was vaguely aware of the heated debate which often arose around the atrocity; it was unknown if insanity was an effect of the act, or simply the motivation which drove one to it.  There was only consensus that no dragon was sane after the act was done; Jex would be as unhinged as she would be powerful. 

 

“You control the ocean.  She doesn’t stand a chance.”  Lyra smiled, and kissed Amaris; there wasn’t a trace of fear upon her lips.  Amaris was unsure whether to consider that naive or knowledgeable as she smiled softly and shifted to her true form.  Amaris didn't have the heart to discourage the confidence which spared Lyra the terror tearing through her as the clouds condensed around a distant core. 

 

Quickly lifting Lyra into her palm, Amaris darted into the sky, shielding Lyra from the blades the wind became from the speed of her flight.  The wind howled in agony as Jex strained the atmosphere. Amaris arrived at the shore near the city in seconds, and placed Lyra upon the sand just in time for her to scurry across the solid water before the city began to break apart and move along the coast.  

 

As soon as her expression was concealed, Lyra allowed the panic to appear on her face; she hadn’t had the heart to let Amaris see.  Shakily, she stepped onto the most sparsely populated raft, and stood near a woman with a face lined by decades of kindness. Several people began to row using long oars which Lyra was stunned to see were coated at the ends in seaweed.  The enchantment upon them caused the raft to rocket over the waves without bringing a hint of effort to anyone’s motions.

 

Once Lyra had disappeared from sight, Amaris shifted her markings to a stark white which glowed in the faint light of the stars. Her growl filled the sky as a signal from the beacon she was against the inky backdrop; she wanted Jex’s full attention


	20. Chapter 20

A halo of haze stained the moonlight, bathing the battlefield in a rusty glow as Jex sank through the atmosphere.Amaris bit her tongue to stifle a shudder; Jex had nearly doubled in size.What was once red spots had become orange rings covering her body in sickly shades.Smoke seeped out from under each of her scales, leaving trails of pollution to mark her path through the air.Her tangerine eyes danced as she bared her yellowed fangs in a sinister smile. 

 

Deciding her best hope was to strike first and hard, then refuse to allow opportunity to recuperate, Amaris roared and summoned all of her strength.Before Jex could come within miles of the island, a massive claw of water slashed her from the sky, slamming her into the surface of the sea and pinning her down.With all she could muster, Amaris attempted to force Jex underwater, hoping to drag her to the darkest depths and put the entire ocean’s weight on her throat. 

 

Jex laughed; her new body was buoyant, pushing back without effort as it took all of Amaris’s strength to keep her only partially submerged.Jex’s laughter raised in pitch and ferocity through Amaris’s strain.When Amaris abandoned the effort to conserve strength for more worthwhile blows, the force with which Jex had effortlessly pushed back launched her into the air with a maniacal howl.Although she didn’t spread her wings to slow her descent, Jex sank back down at the pace of a cloud becoming fog.

 

With an exaggerated sigh of contentment as she landed gently on its surface, Jex lounged across the water, bobbing on the waves like a smug duck.Amaris hovered overhead with a calculative scowl, her wings beating the night air as if to cope with her growing fear of being beaten. 

 

“Your precious ocean may have been able to crush me during our last spat,” Jex said with a smirk.Her eyes gleamed as if resurrecting the scripture of a violent religion, “to think if you had been just a little stronger, nobody would have to die tonight.Remember when her blood glistens upon my claws that this is all your fault.” 

 

Refusing to tolerate the moment’s pause which would allow the imagery to be stitched to her skull, Amaris hissed, and lifted her claw to strike.A serpent of water rose before Jex, and as Amaris aimed for the base of Jex’s throat, it became a blade of water far sharper than she’d conjured before.

 

The impact created massive waves as Jex sank a few feet and quickly floated back up.While the blow knocked the wind out of her, Jex regained her breath with a howl of laughter, twisting her neck around to make a show of examining her undamaged scales.“That would have easily killed Volos.” 

 

Something seemed to capture Jex’s attention, her gaze snapping to the coast. The look in her eyes became ravenous as malice twisted her grin into a smirk.

 

"What?" Amaris hissed, the expression causing her stomach to twist with unease. 

 

"My senses are far sharper now; I see the humans.Do they intend to sneak along the coast and hide in the caverns beneath the cliff while you keep me distracted?" 

 

A frenzied race began as Jex spread her wings and leapt into the air; Jex quickly stole the lead.The smoke which trailed behind her burned Amaris’s eyes and throat, adding an obstacle as she gave chase.Desperate as the distance closed to only a few miles between the city and catastrophe, Amaris hurled a ball of cerulean fire at Jex. 

 

Sensing the change in temperature the moment flame came into existence, Jex shot out of her cloud as if launched from a crossbow, the stream of smoke from her scales temporarily ceased.At noticing how meticulous and urgent Jex’s movements were, Amaris dove into the water.

 

The woman Lyra had followed began to argue with the handful of citizens who had been rowing the raft alongside her. “The infirmary is drifting behind; it carries too much weight with too few to row. You are needed there.”

 

”We were asked to assist you, Maiara.“

 

“I do not require assistance.”

 

“At least board with us.”

 

Maiara laughed.“I have always rowed our smallest raft myself; it allows me to weave throughout and be present for everyone.I’d like to attempt another head count; I worry we are missing someone.”At seeing the lingering concern as eyes traced the marks of age upon her, Maiara grinned in defiance, “I have been doing this far longer than any of you.Position the infirmary in the center of the city, and be ready to tell me how many people the raft carries when I catch up to you.”

 

The raft began to slow, pulling alongside a straggler carrying an extended-family’s worth of people, their ages and visible degree of injury or illness wildly variable.Lyra felt an odd rush of emotion, as if kicked by sunlight; the lack of complaint on the face of anyone holding an oar, or trace of guilt on the face of anyone without one, was fantasy after a lifetime of help defined as burden.The worried glances back at the smoke in the distance were interrupted often with banter, laughter, and reassurance, as if they passed around a flask of comfort. 

 

Maiara resumed rowing once the others boarded the much larger raft.Lyra watched anxiety appear on the faces of some of the rowers as a distance between them and Maiara quickly appeared.She waved to shoo them off when their speed began to decrease; “I may not catch up as quickly, but I will catch up just fine.Get the vulnerable to safety fast as you can, and let me handle myself.”

 

After a few sighs in response to her unflinching gaze, the rowers picked up their speed, joining the fluid cluster of the city in minutes as Maiara took up a steady pace. 

 

A blue flash brought Lyra’s gaze back to the horizon; for a split second Amaris was illuminated by her fire, disappearing back into the distant darkness as it launched toward her foe.Lyra shuddered as she caught a glimpse of Jex’s form slicing through the sky far too quickly for such a massive creature.

 

The instant fire came into contact with the cloud Jex had left behind, a mile of air became a sphere of fire.The sound of catastrophe lagged slightly behind the sight, and the percussive blast to Lyra’s eardrums was a discordant finale as the last traces of smoke and flame vanished.

 

Helplessness had never been such a potent feeling as Lyra gawked at the incinerated sky, scanning her memory of a split second for any sign Amaris might have survived. The next moment was an eternity of ache as she watched Jex circle overhead, her booming laughter a thunder which rumbled through and shattered Lyra’s ribs.Her skeleton twisted and thrashed against the prison of human flesh, as if it could defeat Jex itself if it managed to escape.

 

The stillness of her body was too much to bear; Lyra seized a spare oar and threw every bit of muscle she had behind rowing.The raft quickly gained speed; Maiara seemed to glance around for an explanation, but Lyra’s concealment charm proved powerful enough to render the object she held and the motion of the water she disturbed as imperceptible as she was. 

 

The heat turned a lake’s worth of water to steam, burning Amaris’s tail as she dove deeper to avoid talking such damage.With a wince, she froze a thin layer of ice over the wound to make the pain negligible, and summoned frigid water from the depths to surround herself with.Howls of laughter struck the surface of the sea and stole a murderous growl from Amaris in response.

 

Rising from the ocean, she shaped the water around herself in the form of a dragon rivaling Jex in size."I've seen this before.Did you still desire more praise from me after all these years?” Jex cackled.

 

“The only thing I desire from you is blood,” Amaris hissed, magnifying her voice through the water dragon.The ocean trembled when she spoke.

 

Jex’s expression only became more smug.“You won’t intimidate me.I know exactly how weak you are; I’ve been watching your dreams ever since you left me.I watched you crumble under the feet of humans for thousands of years.”

 

The form of the water wavered for a moment.“You knew where I was?” It took all Amaris had not to accidentally bring the water surrounding her to a rolling boil as she trembled with rage.“How dare you pretend you ever cared for me when you could have freed me, and chose to let me rot?” 

 

“Oh, I was going to rescue you,” Jex laughed, “once ten thousand years had passed, I was going to incinerate that palace, breaking your curse as that stone turned to ash.You would have worshipped me as your savior, and we would have slaughtered every human in Celosia’s territory.It would have been spectacular.”

 

“Monster!” Amaris’s voice rose to a shriek as she smacked Jex with the back of the water dragon’s hand.

 

"Don’t act like you’re any better!" Jex snarled as she weathered the blow with only a slight stumble.Smoke poured into the air, her malicious eyes the last thing Amaris saw before the orange haze obscured her entirely.

 

The gas surrounded the water dragon, and Amaris removed the grim look from her face as she continued to breathe sweet saltwater.She glowered into the opaque haze for a sign of where to strike, attempting to track Jex’s voice as she spoke.“I’ve seen everything you’ve done, even when you had the choice not to.You weren’t just hungry; for a moment there, you loved torturing those panicky runts just as much as I do, maybe even more.”

 

Amaris refused to prepare statements on the efforts she made to leave such monstrosity behind; Jex deserved nothing from her.“Think whatever you wish.”

 

With a snarl, Jex launched herself out of the haze and pierced through the water like an arrow.Her eyes burned with malice as she dug her claws into Amaris’s front legs and allowed the strain of keeping the buoyant form within the water to rip them both out of it.

 

The first breath of the smoke felt as if a fire started in Amaris’s lungs and crept up her throat.Choking on each breath, Amaris’s thrashing only deepened the cuts left by Jex’s claws.Jex laughed as she watched Amaris’s eyes widen at the realization she was intended to suffocate. 

 

As Amaris spread her wings in an attempt to disperse the fumes with a flick of them, Jex seized one, and slowly dragged her claws through the thin membrane.“You really are an idiot for flaunting the only part of you that isn’t armored,”Jex cackled as Amaris’s howling was punctuated with her choking on the smoke.In response to the horrified loathing in Amaris’s eyes, Jex’s features became a mockery of apology, “everyone knows not to spread their wings within range of an enemy’s claws; it can’t be my fault when you make obvious tactical errors.”

 

Lyra's heart stopped, and she was unsure if she wished for it to resume. Every moment was the lash of a small whip, the accumulation of which was meant to bleed her dry. The smoke filled the sky, making it impossible to see anything as the sounds of Amaris coughing and choking skimmed over the sea. Lyra’s motions became frantic as she poured all she could into the task at hand.As the rest of Erisimar slowly grew closer, Lyra thought longingly of their ability to find comfort in one another as she felt her chest hollow itself out. 

 

Maiara jumped at the sudden sound of an oar splashing into water, and caught a blur of motion in the corner of her vision. 

 

Gritting her teeth so hard they nearly broke, Amaris surrounded herself with water and created a current to pull her under as the ocean erupted beneath Jex.Jex’s claws left long gashes as the conflicting motions ripped Amaris out of her grip.

 

In the sanctuary of the sea, Amaris hardly had a moment to spiral with the panic of her most potent attacks failing before Jex’s voice froze her blood, “If you’re going to keep hiding in the ocean, I’m going to find something else to entertain myself with.” 

 

Amaris burst out of the water to resume the race she’d prayed Jex had forgotten, wincing with every beat of her wounded wing.

 

The sight of Jex tumbling through the air while Amaris dove back into the water brought Lyra mild relief made temporary by a startled gasp, and approaching footsteps.Her eyes darted to the floor as she choked on her heart, and became imperceptible once more.Once the footsteps stopped and the fear of flaw in her own expression was nullified, Lyra examined Maiara’s cautiously, preparing herself for the objections it must carry.

 

Her eyes were warm as she stared where Lyra stood.“You must be Amaris’s wife; she mentioned you were nervous to meet us.I was worried that meant you were on the island alone.”She smiled gently, “I am glad you made it aboard.”

 

Lyra’s heart kicked like a deranged horse.While she knew silence would not recreate the illusion that she wasn’t present, the thought of becoming visible again was too absurd to consider an option; surely there was nothing suitable to reveal.Guilt slammed against her skull as she remembered kindness deserved gratitude, and every moment which passed without expression of it was cruel.The muscles on Lyra’s face began to twitch as she tried to remember how to arrange a smile, proving that visibility could only lead to disaster. 

 

As if summoned by panic, Jex’s roar caused all of Erisimar to tremble as her wings eclipsed the sky.The screams which had been delayed only by the assumption that the city’s camouflage would provide safety were all unleashed when Jex landed between the cluster of rafts and the lone straggler.The smoke ceased pouring from beneath her scales, her proximity to humans a far more amusing shield from Amaris’s flame as she brandished the image of death at her prey. 

 

Lyra’s eyes surveyed the sky as she silently begged for signs of impending salvation; her veins began to petrify at how the distance dwarfed Amaris’s form, but failed to hide the lumbering of her flight as her damaged wing dragged through the air.Amaris’s roar echoed across the waves, but the sluggish pace at which she approached tore the teeth out of her threat, and Jex snickered in response.

 

Maiara reversed her direction and rowed furiously in an attempt to prevent their raft from drifting any closer to the dragon which cut them off from the city.Lyra frantically threw all she had into rowing against the momentum she and Maiara had painstakingly built.Each stroke of the oar through the water was unbearably small in effect no matter how she strained herself, but Lyra was certain the petrification would spread to her core if she stopped now. 

 

Drawing deep breaths as if trying to track the scent of a desired treat through a carnival, Jex’s eyes dissected the city to analyze each mask of horror it displayed.Her smirk contorted to a sneer. “Seems like someone gave their little pet a way to hide from me,” Jex’s voice was raised in a discordant song as she taunted Amaris over her shoulder, “I resent that; you’re putting far too much effort into this fight for her to just lounge comfortably outside my perception.”

 

Jex’s eyes danced to the chorus of panic rising from the fleeing city as she addressed the area around her, “Do you not have any smug posturing or arrogant banter left to contribute, or did the courage to face me only exist in your fantasies?How humiliating it must be to cower at the sight of what you dared mock before.”Jex cackled, her fangs glinting in the light. 

 

The sensation of knowing exactly how one should feel while being painfully aware of every difference between herself and the template was often a burden for Lyra, but in this moment it was tactical advantage.Lyra knew the script handed to her demanded she defiantly reveal herself for the sake of proving Jex wrong.Spite made silence satisfying as Lyra scowled at the anticipation upon Jex’s features.

 

When a moment passed without Lyra’s appearance, Jex’s smug sneer sank into a scowl, an aftershock of shudders following the booming growl which rolled over the waves.“Fine then, hide like the selfish coward you are while I slaughter the others.Appoint yourself the sole survivor of my wrath, as if you have any reason to deserve it more than them.” 

 

Jex turned from the cluster of rafts to the one she’d isolated.Slit pupils fixated on Maiara as Jex lowered her head to bring them close to human eye-level as possible, her breath becoming a gale of suffocating wind as she brandished her fangs in a vicious grin.With a snicker she savored the suspense of slowly reaching with a set of claws to pluck her cornered prey from the small raft.

 

“Asshole!”Lyra howled the first thing which came to her mind with all the volume she could muster, her entire body hurled into the launch of the wooden oar at the colossal dragon’s face.Not a second was lost between Lyra appearing and Jex’s eyes moving to her; it was the changing path of her claws which allowed Maiara to narrowly dodge them by diving into the water.By the time Maiara resurfaced, she was already forgotten. 

 

The oar hit the center of Jex’s pupil, causing her to hiss in annoyance as she flinched and blinked furiously.The lapse in Jex’s focus provided enough miscalculation of her aim for Lyra to evade the claws by inches before they slammed into the surface of the water, ripping a chunk off the corner of the raft.The resulting wave slammed Lyra onto her back as she lost her balance, a frenzied grasp at the edge of the raft the only thing stopping the sudden motion from throwing her into the sea. 

 

As the movement of the water wrenched the edge of the raft out of Maiara’s grip and added strain to her swimming which hindered her next attempt, Lyra held out her hand.Maiara seized it as another wave rolled under them. 

 

“You’ve done nothing but worsen your fate,” Jex hissed, baring her fangs as her growl shook the water with its volume. 

 

A jet of water shaped as a fist erupted in an uppercut which slammed Jex’s jaw shut and hurled her back as Lyra pulled Maiara aboard.Amaris flew low over them, shooting a look of uncertain reassurance at Lyra, who felt her entire body burn at the sight of the tears in her wing, as if a dull blade had been dragged through paper. A comforting hand landed upon her shoulder.“We will survive.”Lyra couldn’t bear to analyze the sincerity of her tone as she watched Amaris land between them and Jex.

 

As Jex rose to her feet and spread her wings to fly for the city once more, Amaris hurled several jets of water through them like the stingers of manta rays, and hooked them around to pierce through again as she pulled down with all her might. 

 

Jex snarled as her wings were stitched into the sea. Smoke poured from beneath her scales.Amaris surrounded her face with fresh seawater as the plume obscured them both from vision. “You really believe a weakling like you can hold me back forever?You never should have crossed me if you cared to know peace!” Jex roared as she thrashed.Long tears appeared in her wings, although she didn’t seem to take note of any pain.

 

“You have no right to hold such a grudge!” Amaris hissed, every ounce of her strength dedicated to keeping Jex at bay.Amaris stared into her eyes in search of anyone to reason with, but shivered at the sight of a void.With a grotesque rip of flesh, Jex shredded a wing to wrench it free.Without so much as a wince she continued to struggle her way through the other. 

 

Amaris gawked at the wing Jex had rendered useless.Her eyes gleamed as they darted to the smoke obscuring their surroundings.Hurling her strength to the sea surrounding the city, Amaris formed a bubble of air around it as she pulled it deep underwater.“You really could have avoided this all, Jex,” she said, her tone verging on apology for all she could not control, “all you had to do was let me go.” 

 

Jex tore through her other wing as she clambered to her feet, and laughed when Amaris spread her wings.“Try to escape and I’ll tear you out of the sky.”

 

“You might find that difficult.”Amaris launched herself into the air as the skeletal structure of Jex’s wings flopped against the water, the shredded fabric of her flesh flickering like flame in the breeze of the motion.Once the orange haze was miles below, Amaris roared, and hurled all the fire she could muster in one breath.

 

The light was blinding as Jex’s snarl turned to a shriek.The sharp, booming sound was delayed by the distance, and after it finally impacted Amaris’s senses, silence fell.

 

Jex’s final breath fell in line with her entire solar system disappearing into the black hole which orchestrated the galaxy.While some dragons sensed a change in the stars, none paid it any mind; those who studied the motions of the cosmos too intently found their time impossible to spend on anything else.Their unsavored existence served as enough of a cautionary tale to dispel curiosity amongst the others.

 

Without pause, they carried on with their lives. 

 

The soft ocean breeze brought the saccharine scent of honeysuckles to the peach sunrise which painted the sea.“What are we looking for?” Amaris asked as she glanced around for signs of anything unusual, but found her gaze drawn back to the lustrous view from the mountain.As she took in every detail, Amaris spotted her hoard of jewel-tones and gold glistening on the beach below.

 

“Kala told me about something I think you’d like to see,” Lyra said as she paced along the edge of the clearing, searching for landmarks she now wished hadn’t been so vague, “have you two been introduced yet?”

 

“Aren’t they the woodworker you’ve been collaborating with?” Amaris found it difficult to focus on searching for faces in her memory while so enchanted by the one before her; The sunlight glowed upon cheeks colored by excitement as Lyra’s eyes danced on the precipice of spoiling the surprise.

 

“Kala is one of the sculptor’s apprentices. She told me she carved something into a gemstone deposit up here a few years ago.”Lyra’s footsteps were almost rhythmic as she began to recognize her surroundings from the description, the loose fabric of her trousers flowing like water around every motion.

 

As she stepped carefully through a curtain of morning glories, her voice was a song.“I found it!”

 

Amaris followed Lyra into a small clearing blanketed by resilient wildflowers.As her eyes drifted to the center of it, they glossed over with tears. 

 

Standing about as tall as Lyra was a sculpture of Amaris in her dragon form, posed to bask in the sun as she often did. Vibrant flashes of color in veins of feldspar were an abstraction of the mirrors across her form.Elegant amber-colored blossoms flourished upon the vines which crept across the stone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s the end of my semi-first draft of Perilune! Thank you so much to everyone who has read, commented, and left kudos, it makes my day every time!
> 
> I’ll be editing for a while, and aim to either get Perilune published, or self-publish. 
> 
> There will be a sequel to Perilune, titled Phantom Pheonix. Once I’m a little farther into making my horrible messy 60,000 word outline into a coherent story, I’ll begin posting my first draft! It takes place in the same world, 500 years in the future. It won’t be centered around Amaris and Lyra, but one of the main characters has already made her appearance. While Perilune can be heavy at times, Phantom Pheonix will be a romantic comedy. I kind of wanted to write one serious thing which dealt with a lot of the things I thought I struggled with alone growing up, but I wanted to explore that thoroughly once and move on. It still has similar themes about how being a good person takes commitment and constant effort, rather than being an implicit thing which excuses one from choosing their actions with care, but while Perilune is about healing from trauma and unlearning toxic coping mechanisms, Phantom Pheonix is about an extremely dramatic and self-centered character stumbling into a redemption arc because they will refuse no challenge so when they got called out as a jerk they were just like “you think I’m not good? I’ll show you good! You’re going to look like such an asshole when I prove you wrong!” So Phantom Pheonix is going to be a lot more lighthearted.
> 
> I have an Instagram account where I post about my WIP’s, and artwork, sometimes of my characters. I’m currently working on my second draft of the cover illustration :) the url is @ellivivre


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